15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Heat/Timberwolves OVER 219.5

The Minnesota Timberwolves are a dead nuts OVER team right now with Karl-Anthony Towns and De'Angelo Russell running the show.  They rank 3rd in the NBA in pace at 104.2 possessions per game and 27th in defensive efficiency at 112.3 points per 100 possessions allowed.

Minnesota has now played eight straight games in which they combined with their opponents for 222 or more points.  That makes for a perfect 8-0 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 219.5-point total.

The Miami Heat will be able to name their score tonight agaisnt the Timberwolves.  The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings with combined scores of 220 or more in each of the last three.  That includes a 129-126 win by the Timberwolves for 255 combined points in their most recent meeting.

Minnesota is 9-1 OVER after allowing 130 points or more this season.  Miami is 35-18 OVER in its last 55 road games following a loss by 10 points or more.  The OVER is 5-0 in Miami's last five games vs. a team with a losing record.  The OVER is 4-1 in Timberwolves last five games overall.  Take the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Grizzlies/Bulls UNDER 226

Familiarity favors UNDERS and defense, and the Bulls and Grizzlies will be rematching from a game from just five days ago on April 12th.  The Grizzlies won that game 101-90 for 191 combined points.  I can't believe oddsmakers have set this total this high for the rematch, 35 points higher than they combined for in that first meeting.

And the big difference is the Bulls will be without leading scorer Zach LaVine (27.5 PPG) this time around as he is in quarantine.  The Bulls will have to slow it down and run their offensive through Nikola Vucevic, and they won't have the pick-and-roll option between those two that was working so well.

Chicago is 12-4 UNDER in its last 16 games when revenging a road loss.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Bulls last eight home games.  The UNDER is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Washington Wizards +2

The Washington Wizards are trying desperately to make the playoffs.  They have gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall and have gone 4-1 SU in their last five games overall.  That includes upset road wins over the Warriors and Jazz.

Now the Wizards are back home here hosting the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Pelicans have won three of their last four, but two of those were narrow wins over the Kings and Cavaliers.  They also lost by 10 to the Knicks last time out.

Having Bradley Beal back has made all the difference for the Wizards.  They are 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in the last five games in which Beal has played with their only loss coming by 2 points.  He leads the NBA in scoring at 31.0 points per game.  He and Russell Westbrook are forming a nice chemistry now, and the Wizards are as healthy as they have been all season.

The Pelicans are 10-26-2 ATS in their last 38 Friday games.  New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last five games playing on one days' rest.  The Wizards are 5-0 ATS in their last five games following a win by more than 10 points.  New Orleans is 0-4 ATS in its last four trips to Washington.  Bet the Wizards Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers +8.5

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not just playing out the string.  They have gotten healthy here down the stretch and are playing some of their best basketball of the season.  They are 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall with double-digit wins over the Spurs by 24, the Thunder by 27 and the Hornets by 13.  They also nearly upset the Pelicans in a game they led most the way before faltering late.

The Warriors come in getting too much respect from the books after going 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  Asking them to win by 9-plus points to cover this number on the road is simply asking too much.

This is a much worse spot for the Warriors than it is for the Cavaliers.  The Warriors will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They are already short-handed without three of their top six scorers in Wiseman, Paschall and Oubre Jr.

The Cavaliers will also be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, but they had two days off prior to beating the Hornets last night, so they should still be fresh.  Only one player played more than 31 minutes for them last night.  And they could possibly get Collin Sexton back from injury after he sat out last night as he is listed as questionable.

The Warriors are 7-22-1 ATS in their last 30 games playing on zero rest.  Golden State is 1-5 ATS in its last six road games.  Cleveland is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team with a losing record.  Roll with the Cavaliers Thursday.

20* NBA Wednesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Wizards/Kings OVER 236.5

Two dead nuts OVER teams square off tonight when the Washington Wizards visit the Sacramento Kings.  We should have this OVER 236.5 covered with plenty of time left on the clock in the 4th quarter with how these teams play.

Sacramento ranks dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 115.7 points per 100 possessions.  Washington ranks 26th in defensive efficiency, allowing 111.5 points per 100 possessions.  The Wizards play at the fastest pace in the NBA at 106.1 possessions per game.  Sacramento plays at the 9th-fastest pace.

These teams played earlier this season on March 17th and combined for 240 points despite both teams shooting poorly from 3-point range.  Washington went 4-for-25 (16%) while Sacramento went 10-for-33 (30.3%).  They won't shoot that poorly again, and even if they do they still showed they could get to 240.  They also combined for 259 points in their previous meeting.

The OVER is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings in Sacramento.  The OVER is 8-2 in Kings last 10 games as home underdogs.  The OVER is 35-16 in Kings last 51 games following an ATS loss.  Plays on the OVER on all teams where the total is 230 or higher (Sacramento) - off a road loss, a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) playing another losing team are 34-11 (75.6%) since 1996.  Bet the OVER in this game Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Oklahoma City Thunder +11.5

I've been fading the Oklahoma City Thunder with a lot of success because they were without five of their top six scorers for most of this stretch that has seen them go 1-10 SU & 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games overall with seven straight blowout losses by double-digits coming in.  But now it's time to 'buy low' on the Thunder tonight.

They just got two of those scorers back two games ago in Dort (13.3 PPG) and Bazley (11.9 PPG).  Dort went off for 42 points last night against the Jazz in a 10-point loss as 16.5-point dogs.  He was the only Thunder play to play more than 28 minutes last night, so they should still be reasonably fresh, especially since they had two days off prior to that game.  It will be just their 2nd game in 4 days.

The injury report for the Golden State Warriors right now doesn't warrant them being double-digit road favorites over the Thunder tonight.  They are without three of their top six scorers in Kelly Oubre Jr. (15.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG), James Wiseman (11.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG) and Eric Paschall (9.5 PPG).  The Warriors are just 4-8 SU & 5-7 ATS in their last 12 games overall with only two wins by double-digits.

Golden State is 1-9 ATS following two or more consecutive wins this season.  The Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games.  Oklahoma City is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games after allowing 105 points or more in five straight games.  Roll with the Thunder Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Detroit Pistons +9

I absolutely love the spot for the Detroit Pistons tonight.  They come in on two days' rest after losing to the Clippers 124-131 as 13-point road dogs on Sunday.  Now they will be out for revenge as they get to host the Clippers this time around as 9-point home dogs.

The Clippers trailed by 5 points in that game entering the 4th quarter before outscoring the Pistons by 12 in the final period.  And Detroit's best player in Jerami Grant (22.5 PPG) didn't even play in that game and has been out since April 6th.  But Grant is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight as he has been listed as probable.

This is an awful spot for the Clippers, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days tonight after a 126-115 win in Indiana last night.  They will be without Patrick Beverly and Serge Ibaka and there's a good chance Kawhi Leonard sits tonight as he is listed as questionable.  Paul George played 38 minutes last night and could rest as well.  Either way, this is a tired team that won't be all that motivated to beat the Pistons for the 2nd time in 4 days.

Detroit is 9-1 ATS vs. good 3-point shooting teams that make 39% or better this season.  The Pistons are 12-2 ATS vs. good teams that outscored their opponents by 3-plus points per game this season.  Detroit is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games playing on two days' rest.  The Pistons are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Detroit is 19-7 ATS in its last 26 games following a SU loss.  Take the Pistons Wednesday.

20* Celtics/Blazers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on Portland -1

The Portland Trail Blazers come in highly motivated for a victory after losing three of their last four games.  But two of those losses came on the road to two of the best teams in the NBA in the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers.  The other was on the 2nd of a back-to-back against the Miami Heat.

Now the Blazers are rested after having yesterday off and should get back on track here against the Boston Celtics at home.  It's time to 'buy low' on the Blazers, who needed a few games to get Norman Powell and CJ McCollum implemented into the offense.  They also just got Jusuf Nurkic back from injury and are as healthy as they have been all season.  They will be a dangerous team moving forward.

The Celtics are getting too much respect from oddsmakers after winning three straight games coming in.  But two of those wins came at home over New York (by 2) and Minnesota (in OT).  The other was a road win over the short-handed Denver Nuggets who were playing without Jamal Murray.  This will be their stiffest challenge since a 10-point home loss to the 76ers prior to their winning streak.

The Celtics are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU win by more than 10 points.  Boston is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games following an ATS win.  Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following an ATS loss.  The Blazers are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  The Celtics are just 11-16 SU on the road this season.  Bet the Blazers Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Charlotte Hornets -1.5

The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA all season as they are 27-25 SU through their first 52 games this season.  They have been especially underrated of late since some injuries have popped up as they have shown off their depth in going 7-4 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall.

Now the Hornets are in a much more favorable spot than the Lakers tonight.  They had yesterday off following a 101-105 home loss to Atlanta on Sunday.  That was a tough spot for them as it was their first game back home following a six-game road trip.  Now the Hornets are rested, refocused and ready to go tonight playing just their 4th game in 9 days.

Meanwhile, the Lakers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 7th straight road games tonight after a 96-111 road loss to the Knicks last night.  They remain short-handed without LeBron James and Anthony Davis and have really struggled offensively without these two.  The Lakers are just 5-8 SU & 5-8 ATS in their last 13 games overall since losing LeBron.

Charlotte is 21-9 ATS in its last 30 games following a loss by 6 points or less.  Los Angeles is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Hornets are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 games following an ATS loss.  The Hornets are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss.  Charlotte is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games as a favorite.  Take the Hornets Tuesday.

15* Clippers/Pacers TNT ANNIHILATOR on Indiana +3

The Indiana Pacers are playing their best basketball of the season right now and it's due to being as healthy as they have been basically all season.  They have gone 4-1 SU in their last five games overall with road wins over the Spurs, Magic and Grizzlies.  Having Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis healthy has made all the difference for them.

Now the Pacers should be able to take down a Los Angeles Clippers team that is short-handed and getting too much respect from the books after winning five straight games coming in.  Well, now they won't have their best player in Kawhi Leonard tonight, and they remain without both Patrick Beverly and Serge Ibaka.  They aren't good enough without those three to beat the Pacers with the way Indiana is playing right now.

Plays against road favorites (LA Clippers) - after four or more consecutive wins, a good team (60% to 75%) playing against a team with a losing record are 60-25 (70.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning record.  Roll with the Pacers Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday UPSET SHOCKER on Sacramento Kings +2.5

The New Orleans Pelicans are in a terrible spot tonight.  They will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, their 5th game in 7 days and their 8th game in 12 days tonight.  They struggled with the Cavaliers last night and needed a late comeback to win 116-109 as 9-pint favorites.

They showed the fatigue against the Cavaliers last night, and it's going to be even worse tonight against the Kings.  Five different players played at least 31 minutes for the Pelicans last night, including 35 from Brandon Ingram and 36 from Zion Williamson.  Don't be surprised if Stan Van Gundy rests one or both tonight.

The Kings will test those tired legs because they like to push the tempo, playing at the 8th-fastest pace in the NBA this season.  They are rested and ready to go playing just their 3rd game in 7 days.  And it's a great time to 'buy low' on them off six straight losses against a very tough schedule.

The Kings have the Pelicans' number in going 3-1 SU & 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings.  New Orleans is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games as a home favorite.  The Pelicans are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  New Orleans is 6-18 ATS in its last 24 games after scoring 115 points or more.

The Pelicans are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the 2nd half of the season.  New Orleans is 1-13 ATS in its last 14 home games vs. poor defensive teams that allow 46% shooting or higher in the 2nd half of the season.  Roll with the Kings Monday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Washington Wizards +11.5

You're definitely paying a tax on the Utah Jazz at this point in the season due to having the best record in the NBA at 40-13.  Now they are laying double-digits to the Washington Wizards despite being without two of their best players in Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson.

Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards are basically fully healthy right now and that hasn't been the case for much of the season.  Bradley Beal (30.9 PPG) was out from March 27th through April 7th.  He returned for two games against Orland and Golden State, and the Wizards won 131-116 over the Magic and upset the Warriors 110-107.  He sat out the 106-134 loss to Phoenix on the 2nd of a back-to-back, but he is expected back in the lineup tonight.

Washington hasn't lost any of its last four meetings with Utah by more than 11 points.  In fact, the Wizards pulled the 131-122 upset as 10.5-point dogs on March 18th in their first meeting this season.  Beal had 43 points in that game while Westbrook had 35 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists.  With these two healthy the Wizards can hang with the Jazz again tongiht.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (Utah) - after a blowout win by 15 points or more against an opponent that scored 55 points or more in the first half of two straight games are 38-12 (76%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Take the Wizards Monday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Wizards/Jazz OVER 234

The Utah Jazz have been an offensive juggernaut all season.  They rank 3rd in the NBA in offensive efficiency at 115.6 points per 100 possessions.  Amazingly, the Jazz have now scored 111 or more points in 34 of their last 36 games overall.

They should be able to name their score against a Washington Wizards team that plays no defense.  The Wizards rank 26th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 111.4 points per 100 possessions.  They also play at the fastest pace in the entire NBA at 106.2 possessions per game, which is 1.5 possessions per than 2nd place, so they are a dead nuts OVER team.

The Wizards will definitely be able to keep pace with the Jazz now that they are basically fully healthy.  Bradley Beal (30.9 PPG) was out from March 27th through April 7th.  He returned for two games and scored 26 against Orlando and 20 against Golden State before sitting out the 2nd of a back-to-back against Phoenix.  Now he's back for this contest against Utah.

The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings in this series.  They have combined for 253, 248, 243 and 252 points in those four meetings and are averaging 249 combined points per game in those four meetings, none of which went to overtime.  So we are basically getting 15 points of value on this OVER 234 tonight.

Washington is 15-3 OVER in its last 18 games as an underdog of 10 or more points.  The Wizards are 9-1 OVER in their last 10 games against dominant rebounding teams that outrebound their opponents by 5-plus boards per game.  Washington is 8-0 OVER vs. very good teams that outscore their opponents by 6-plus points per game this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Late-Night BAILOUT on Heat/Blazers OVER 221.5

The Blazers were already a dead nuts OVER team because they rank 29th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 114.3 points per 100 possessions.  And now they are an offensive juggernaut with the trade for Norman Powell from the Raptors and getting CJ McCollum back from injury in recent weeks.

The Blazers have scored at least 109 points in nine of their last 10 games overall.  They have also scored 108 or more points in 17 of their last 20 games overall.  They rank 7th in the NBA in offensive efficiency this season and have been even better than that in recent weeks.

Portland beat Miami 125-122 on March 25th for 247 combined points.  The OVER is now 5-1 in the last six meetings with 224 or more combined points in each of the last five meetings.  They have averaged 232.2 combined points at the end of regulation in those five meetings, which is roughly 11 points more than this 221.5-point total, so we are getting great value with this OVER.

The OVER Is 4-0 in Miami's last four games overall.  The OVER is 4-0 in Miami's last four games vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 12-4 in Blazers last 16 games vs. a team with a winning record.  The OVER is 12-5 in Blazers last 17 games playing on zero rest.  Portland is 14-3 OVER in its last 17 games following two or more consecutive unders.  Take the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Bulls/Timberwolves OVER 230.5

The Chicago Bulls are playing great offensively now that they have Nikola Vucevic from the Magic combining with LaVine, White and company.  This is one of the more underrated teams in the NBA now in the Bulls, who haver scored 106 or more points in six consecutive games.

They face a Timberwolves team that will have no problem getting up and down with them.  The Timberwolves rank 3rd in the NBA in pace this season and just got De'Angelo Russell back from injury and will speed up the tempo even more now.  They also rank 27th in defensive efficiency this season.

The Timberwolves combined for 278 points with the Pacers two games ago in a 137-141 loss in regulation.  Then they went to OT against the Celtics last time out in a game that saw 248 combined points at the end of regulation.  And the Bulls and Timberwolves squared off earlier this season on February 24th in a game that saw 238 combined points at the end of regulation.

The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  The OVER is 14-6 in the last 20 meetings in Minnesota.  The OVER is 7-2 in Timberwolves last nine games vs. a team with a losing record.  Minnesota is 8-1 OVER after allowing 130 points or more this season.  Bet the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday Late-Night BAILOUT on Pistons/Blazers OVER 223.5

The Blazers were already a dead nuts OVER team because they rank 29th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 114.3 points per 100 possessions.  And now they are an offensive juggernaut with the trade for Norman Powell from the Raptors and getting CJ McCollum back from injury in recent weeks.

The Blazers have scored at least 109 points in eight of their last nine games overall.  They have also scored 108 or more points in 16 of their last 19 games overall.  They will hang a big number on the Detroit Pistons, who have allowed 124 or more points in three of their last six games coming in.  

But the Pistons are playing much better offensively of late as they have scored 113 or more points in four of their last five games overall.  They have averaged 121.3 points per game in their last three games.  Plus, there's a good chance they get back leading scorer Jerami Grant from injury after sitting out last game.

The OVER is 11-4-1 in Pistons last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The OVER is 5-1 in Pistons last six games playing on one days' rest.  The OVER is 13-5 in the last 18 meetings.  The OVER is 11-4 in Blazers last 15 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the OVER in this game Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Philadelphia 76ers -11

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been playing without five of their top six scorers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Al Horford, Luguentz Dort and Mike Muscala.  It's no wonder they have gone just 1-8 SU & 1-8 ATS in their last nine games overall with all eight losses by 9 points or more and seven by 11 points or more.

The last five games have been really ugly for the Thunder as they have lost by 37, 48, 24, 11 and 27 points.  That's an average loss of 29.4 points per game, which is why I have no problem laying the big number with the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The 76ers shouldn't even be considering a letdown here after getting upset by the New Orleans Pelicans last night.  And I'm not concerned about them playing the 2nd of a back-to-back either because they had two days off prior to that game against the Pelicans, so they should still be fresh enough to put away the overmatched Thunder.

The 76ers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a loss.  Philadelphia is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games as a road favorite.  The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The Thunder are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games as home underdogs.  Bet the 76ers Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Raptors/Cavs OVER 216.5

Two teams with little to play for at this point in the Toronto Raptors (20-32) and Cleveland Cavaliers (19-32) square off tonight.  I don't expect much defense to be played at all in this game, and this total is way too low for how these two teams have been playing of late.

The Cavaliers are coming off two of their best offensive performances of the season in scoring 125 points against the Spurs and 129 more against the Thunder.  Collin Sexton and Darius Garland are really starting to find their groove on offense.

The Raptors just haven't been playing much defense lately in giving up 109 or more points in 18 of their last 21 games overall.  But they are still a very efficient offensive team and should be able to hang a number on Cleveland, which ranks 21st in defensive efficiency this season.

The OVER is 5-1 in the last six meetings in this series with 221 or more combined points in five of the six.  They have averaged 228 combined points per game in those six meetings, none of which went to overtime.  So we are getting roughly 11.5 points of line value on this OVER 216.5 based on what they have averaged in their last six meetings.  Roll with the OVER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Late-Night BAILOUT on Houston Rockets +13.5

The Los Angeles Clippers are coming off a massive win over the Phoenix Suns last night in a battle to win the Pacific Division.  This is the perfect letdown spot for them, and I'll gladly fade them in this spot laying 13.5 points to the Houston Rockets.

The Clippers will now be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  Kawhi Leonard played 37 minutes last night and Paul George 34 minutes.  Don't be surprised to see one or both of them rest tonight.  Either way, they won't be nearly as motivated against the Rockets as they were against the Suns last night, and they definitely won't be as fresh.

The Rockets have been much more competitive since getting their best player in Christian Wood back healthy.  They are 2-0 ATS in their last two games, taking the Suns to the wire in a 130-133 loss as 14-point dogs and actually upsetting the Mavericks 102-93 as 10-point dogs.  They had yesterday off and will be fresh for this game.

The Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a losing record.  Houston is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Los Angeles.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (LA Clippers) - after a home game where both teams scored 100 or more points, playing the 2nd of a back-to-back are 36-13 (73.5%) ATS since 1996.  Roll with the Rockets Friday.

20* NBA Friday Undervalued Underdog on San Antonio Spurs +7.5

It's time to 'buy low' on the San Antonio Spurs.  They have gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall coming in.  But they were a tired team with a lot of games recently.  They had yesterday off and I love the spot for the Spurs.

San Antonio will be out for revenge from a 96-106 road loss at Denver on Wednesday.  This is a double-header so they will be playing in Denver again tonight.  I expect them to be the more motivated team for revenge.

It's time to 'sell high' on the Nuggets after going 7-0 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  After already beating the Spurs by double-digits just two days ago, they won't bring the kind of intensity it's going to take to beat the Spurs by 8-plus points tonight.

San Antonio is 22-5 ATS in its last 27 games when revenging a road loss by 10 points or more.  The Spurs are 64-34 ATS in their last 88 games when revenging a loss.  San Antonio is 11-4 ATS in its last 15 games as a road underdog.  Take the Spurs Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on New York Knicks +2

The New York Knicks will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing five of their last six games coming in.  Those losses came to the Heat, Mavericks, Nets, Celtics and Timberwolves with three of them coming by 2 points or less.  So they have played a tough schedule during this run and they have been competitive.

While it's time to 'buy low' on the Knicks, it's definitely time to 'sell high' on the Grizzlies.  They have gone 5-1 SU & 6-0 ATS in their last six games overall.  But they have played a pretty weak schedule during this stretch with their only impressive win coming on the road at Miami.

This will be the 4th road game in 6 days for the Grizzlies.  While the Knicks are as healthy as they have been all season, the Grizzlies will be without Clarke, Winslow and Melton.  Ja Morant is battling through a back injury as well, though he is expected to play tonight.

The Knicks are 10-1 ATS at home with a line of +3 to -3 this season.  New York is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games following a SU loss.  The Knicks are 18-8-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.  Bet the Knicks Friday.

20* Suns/Clippers TNT Late-Night BAILOUT on UNDER 222.5

It's a good time to bet an UNDER tonight between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers, who are fighting for first place in the Pacific Division.  Defensive intensity will be high in this game, and that should lead to an UNDER.

There's value with the UNDER due to the Suns going over the total in five consecutive games coming in.  But the Suns just played an OT game against the Jazz last night that finished with 230 combined points when it was only at 204 combined points at the end of regulation.

Now the Suns will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and they won't be looking to push the tempo on tired legs.  After all, they rarely look to push the pace as they rank 26th in pace this season.  The Clippers also prefer to play slow as they rank 27th in pace.  But what makes both these teams so good is their defense.  The Suns rank 5th in defensive efficiency while the Clippers rank 9th and should be even better moving forward now that Patrick Beverly has returned from injury.

The Clippers and Suns have combined for 219 or fewer points in three of their last four meetings.  The UNDER is 15-5-3 in Clippers last 23 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  Phoenix is 26-12 UNDER in its last 38 games vs. division opponents.

Plays on the UNDER on road teams where the total is 210 or higher (Phoenix) - revenging a loss against an opponent that is off two consecutive home wins by 10 points or more are 40-13 (75.5%) over the last five seasons.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Blazers/Jazz OVER 229.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are a dead nuts over team now that they have a healthy CJ McCollum (23.8 PPG, 41.1% 3-pointers) back in the lineup and trading for Norman Powell (19.4 PPG, 43.7% 3-pointers) from the Raptors.   Couple them with Lillard (29.2 PPG, 38% 3-pointers) and Anthony (13.6 PPG, 38.2% 3-pointers) and they are simply tough to tame.

But the Blazers have a key weakness and that is on the other end, where they rank 29th in defensive efficiency.  Only the Kings have been worse in that department.  So they are going to have to try and win shootouts moving forward.  They are 6th in offensive efficiency this season and face a Jazz team that ranks 3rd in offensive efficiency.

The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings in this series with 231 or more combined points in four of those five games and none of them going to overtime.  So there's clearly some value with this OVER 229.5 tonight, especially with the way the Blazers are currently built to operate compared to those previous five meetings.

The OVER is 5-0 in Blazers last five road games.  The OVER is 8-2 in Blazers last 10 games as road underdogs.  The OVER is 23-11 in Jazz last 34 games following a loss.  The Blazers have scored at least 109 points in eight consecutive games and 112 or more in seven of those.  The Jazz have scored 111 or more points in 26 of their last 27 games overall.  Take the OVER in this game Thursday. 

15* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Portland Trail Blazers +6.5

This is a great spot for the Portland Trail Blazers and a terrible one for the Utah Jazz.  The Blazers will be playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, so they are rested and ready to go.  And they have been playing great since getting CJ McCollum back from injury and trading for Norman Powell from the Raptors.  They are 5-2 SU in their last seven games overall with their only losses coming to the Bucks and Clippers.

The Jazz will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days tonight.  Making matters worse is that they are coming off a 113-117 (OT) loss to the Phoenix Suns last night.  Donovan Mitchell played over 40 minutes, Rudy Gobert over 36, Bogdanovic over 39 and Conley over 35.  The Jazz simply won't have much left in the tank for the Blazers tonight.

Portland is 12-4 ATS in road games vs. teams that score 110 or more points per game this season.  The Blazers are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  The Jazz are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as favorites.  They should not be 6.5-point favorites tonight given the terrible spot for them and the great one for Portland.  Take the Blazers Thursday.

20* NBA Thursday No-Doubt Rout on Cleveland Cavaliers -3.5

The Oklahoma City Thunder are a mess right now.  They have gone 1-7 SU & 1-7 ATS in their last eight games overall with all seven losses by 9 points or more.  The last four losses have come by an average of 30 points per game.

They are struggling because they are playing without five of their top six scorers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Al Horford, Luguentz Dort and Mike Muscala.  Making matters worse tonight is that they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days for a team that is already short-handed.

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to battle and are coming off an impressive 125-101 upset win at San Antonio as 8-point underdogs.  Now they've had the last two days off, so they will be rested and ready to go.  They should have no problem handing the tired Thunder yet another blowout defeat tonight.

Cleveland is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 road games when playing against a bad team that wins between 25% and 40% of their games.  The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games when playing on two days' rest.  Bet the Cavaliers Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Mavs/Rockets OVER 222

The Dallas Mavericks are hitting on all cylinders offensively with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis both healthy.  They have scored 109 or more points in seven of the last eight games in which Doncic has played with the only exception coming against the Knicks, who play at a snail's pace and play great defense.

I think we are getting tremendous value with this OVER tonight due to the Mavericks going under the total in six of their last seven games overall.  And the fact that the Rockets have been an under team for the majority of the season, but that is no longer the case.

The Rockets have been much better offensively since getting their best player back from injury in Christian Wood (20.9 PPG, 36.6% 3-pointers).  The Rockets have scored 100-plus points in nine of their last 10 games in which Wood has played.  In their last two games, they hung 115 on the Pelicans and then 130 on the Suns, who are known for great defense.

The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings with combined scores of 241 or more points in all four OVERS.  The OVER is 6-0 in Mavericks last six road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.  The OVER is 21-10 in Mavericks last 31 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The OVER is 4-0 in Rockets last four games vs. a team with a winning record.  Roll with the OVER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on New York Knicks +4

The New York Knicks are highly motivated for a victory after losing four of their last five games coming in.  Three of the losses were to three of the best teams in the NBA in the Nets, Heat and Mavericks.  They had yesterday off to regroup, and they are as healthy as they have been in a long time and nearly pulled the upset in a 112-114 loss to the Nets last time out.

Now the Knicks face a tired Boston Celtics team that will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 96-106 loss to Philadelphia last night.  Both Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker will sit tonight, and Jayson Tatum (35 minutes), Marcus Smart (36) and Jaylen Brown (33) will still be tired after playing big minutes last night.  It will also be the 14th game in 23 days for the Celtics.

The Knicks went on the road and crushed the Celtics 105-75 as 7-point dogs in their first meeting this season.  New York is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games after playing two consecutive road games.  The Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games.  New York is 17-8-1 ATS in its last 26 games overall and remains undervalued tonight given the tough spot for the Celtics.  Boston is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games playing on zero rest.  Bet the Knicks Wednesday.

15* Pelicans/Nets ESPN ANNIHILATOR on New Orleans +9.5

The Brooklyn Nets are overvalued after going 21-4 SU in their last 25 games overall that has them sitting in a tie for 1st place in the Eastern Conference.  But I've been 'selling high' on them for weeks and cashing in, and I'll continue to do so tonight.

Despite their SU success the Nets are just 3-10 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  Eight of their last 10 wins have come by 9 points or fewer, and asking them to beat the Pelicans by double-digits to cover this spread is asking too much.  That's especially the case with James Harden, Landry Shamet and Tyler Johnson all out tonight.  I know Kevin Durant makes his much anticipated return tonight, but there's no doubt he will be on a minutes restriction and they will be careful with him.

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Pelicans after going 1-3 SU & 1-3 ATS in their last four games overall.  They are coming off a 107-123 loss to the Hawks last night in which the Hawks made 11-of-11 3-pointers in the 3rd quarter to pull away.  The blowout nature of the defeat allowed the Pelicans to rest their starters late, and they should still be relatively fresh for this game against the Nets.  Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball just returned to the lineup, and there's a chance they get Brandon Ingram back tonight.

The Pelicans are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss of more than 10 points.  New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.  The Nets are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games as favorites.  Brooklyn is 0-6 ATS in its last six games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the Pelicans Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Blazers/Clippers OVER 228.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are a dead nuts OVER team since getting CJ McCollum back from injury and Norman Powell from the Raptors via trade.  They are tough to tampe offensively as they have scored 109 or more points in seven straight games and 108 or more in 15 of their last 17 games.

The Blazers are also 29th in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 113.8 points per 100 possessions.  Only the Kings have been worse.  They face a Clippers team that ranks 2nd in the NBA in offensive efficiency at 115.7 points per 100 possessions.  The Blazers are 6th in offensive efficiency at 114.1 points per 100 possessions.

The OVER is 2-0 in the last two meetings in this series with combined scores of 239 and 233 points.  These teams should have no problem topping 230 combined points tonight given that they both as healthy as they have been in a long time.

The OVER is 7-2 in Blazers last nine games as road underdogs.  The OVER is 4-0 in Blazers last four road games.  Portland is 13-3 OVER in its last 16 games following two or more consecutive underdogs.  The Blazers are 25-8 OVER in their last 33 games after winning three of their last four games coming in.  The Clippers are 21-6 OVER in their last 27 games following a win over a division rival.  Bet the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Pistons +14

The Detroit Pistons just blew out the Oklahoma City Thunder 132-108 on the road last night.  It was their third blowout victory in five games as they also beat the Raptors by 14 and the Wizards by 29 recently.  They have no quietly gone 9-5 ATS in their last 14 games overall and have been a very profitable team to back of late.

The fact that they blew out the Thunder last night actually makes this 2nd of a back-to-back situation a lot easier on them tonight.  None of their starters played more than 23 minutes last night, and nobody on their entire team played more than 25 minutes.  They will still be fresh tonight, and this back-to-back situation is being factored into this line too much.

I think the Nuggets are starting to get bored.  That showed last time out as they trailed the Magic by 18 at halftime before coming back to win by 10.  That was an awful Magic team playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a loss in Utah the night before.  If the Magic could stay within 10 in that spot, the Pistons can certainly do the same.  The Nuggets are finding it harder to get motivated after winning five straight coming in, and it's time to 'sell high' on them.

Detroit is a perfect 7-0 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  They have been great at playing up to their level of competition this season.  The Pistons are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games playing on zero rest.  Denver is 8-18-1 ATS in its last 27 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400, so they have had a tendency of playing down to their level of competition.  Detroit is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.  Roll with the Pistons Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday UPSET SHOCKER on Chicago Bulls +1

The Chicago Bulls just got both Zach LaVine and Coby White back from injury two games ago.  After a game effort without those two in a 5-point loss at Phoenix as 8.5-point dogs, they also took the Jazz to the wire in a 7-point road loss as 11-point dogs.  Then they came back and upset the Nets by 8 as 2.5-point dogs.

So the Bulls just showed they could hang with three of the best teams in the NBA in the Suns, Jazz and Nets.  And now I expect them to take down the Indiana Pacers tonight.  Nikola Vucevic is getting more and more comfortable with his new team, and the Bulls are definitely a 'buy on' team moving forward.

The Pacers just can't seem to stay healthy and it's a big reason they are just 7-12 SU & 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games overall.  T.J. Warren remains out, and Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb are all questionable tonight.  The good news is I like the Bulls to win this game whether or not those three play.  If any of them sits it's an added bonus.

The Bulls are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Chicago is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games playing on one days' rest.  Indiana is 5-16 ATS in its last 21 home games.  The Pacers are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games after allowing more than 120 points in their previous game.  Indiana is 0-5 ATS in its last five games playing on two days' rest.  Chicago is 16-6 ATS in all road games this season.  Take the Bulls Tuesday.

20* Knicks/Nets NBA TV No-Brainer on New York +5.5

The Brooklyn Nets have been money burners for weeks.  They are just 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  They continue to be overvalued due to going 20-4 SU in their last 24 games overall.  But most of their wins have been close of late, and getting 5.5 points with the Knicks tonight is too much.

This is a terrible spot for the Nets as they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a 107-115 loss in Chicago last night.  They are already without Kevin Durant, and James Harden is questionable with a hamstring injury after sitting out last night.  Tyler Johnson is doubtful and Landry Shamet is questionable.  Irving (38 minutes), Harris (34) and Brown (30) all had to play big minutes last night against the Bulls.

The Knicks had yesterday off following their 125-81 blowout win at Detroit on Saturday.  They will be the fresher team, and they'll be highly motivated for revenge after losing their first two meetings this season with the Nets by 7 and 5 points.  They can stay within 5.5 in the 3rd meeting and possibly pull the upset given the favorable spot for them and the tough one for the Nets.

New York is 30-12 ATS in its last 42 games when revenging a same-season loss.  The Knicks are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 3-plus points per game in the 2nd half of the season.  New York is 7-2 ATS in its last nine road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Brooklyn is 1-8 ATS in its last nine games as a favorite.  New York is 6-1 ATS in its last seven trips to Brooklyn.  Bet the Knicks Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Wizards/Raptors OVER 228.5

Two great OVER teams square off tonight as the Washington Wizards visit the Toronto Raptors.  I think we see 230-plus points with ease tonight between these teams, which has been the case in recent meetings as well.

The OVER is 7-0 in the last seven meetings with combined scores of 230 or more points in all seven meetings.  They have averaged 241.7 combined points at the end of regulation in those seven meetings, which is roughly 13 points more than tonight's posted today of 228.5.

Washington is a great OVER team because they play at the fastest pace in the entire NBA at 106.3 possessions per game.  They also rank 26th in defensive efficiency, giving up 111.5 points per 100 possessions.  The Raptors play at the 12th-fasted pace and rank 14th in offensive efficiency.

Toronto is 8-1 OVER when playing against a bad team (25% to 40%) this season.  Washington is 8-1 OVER when revenging a home loss by 10 points or more this season.  The OVER is 7-0 in Raptors last seven games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Dallas Mavericks +6

The Utah Jazz are getting a ton of respect from oddsmakers right now due to having the best record in the Western Conference at 38-11 this season.  It's time to 'sell high' on them tonight as 6-point road favorites over the Dallas Mavericks.

What seems to be going unnoticed is how well the Mavericks are playing of late when Luka Doncic has been healthy and in the lineup.  Indeed, the Mavericks are 6-0 SU & 6-0 ATS in the last six games in which Doncic has played.  They beat the Blazers by 40, the Timberwolves by 20, the Thunder by 21, the Celtics by 5, the Knicks by 13 and the Wizards by 22. 

The Mavericks will be highly motivated for a win tonight to get revenge from two road losses at Utah in their first two meetings this season.  The Jazz are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Utah is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 trips to Dallas.  Roll with the Mavericks Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Undervalued Underdog on Charlotte Hornets +9

The Charlotte Hornets are missing some players like Gordon Hayward, LaMelo Ball and Malik Monk.  But these injuries are being factored into this line too much, and asking the Boston Celtics to beat them by double-digits to cover this 9-point spread is asking too much.

The Hornets have proven they can still play well without Ball by going 5-2 SU & 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  And they lost Hayward early in the game last time out and still went on the road and beat the Pacers 114-97 on the 2nd of a back-to-back.  They are a deep team that can handle these losses better than most teams.

The Celtics just aren't playing well enough to be getting this kind of respect from oddsmakers.  They are 4-7 SU & 5-6 ATS in their last 11 games overall with three of those wins coming against the lowly Magic, Thunder and Rockets.  It's worth noting the Celtics could also be without Jaylen Brown, who left last game with a knee injury and is questionable tonight.

The Hornets are 36-16-1 ATS in their last 53 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Charlotte is 7-1 ATS in its last eight Sunday games.  The Hornets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall.  The Celtics are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games following a SU win.  Boston is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games following an ATS win.  The Celtics are 2-12 ATS in their last 14 games following a win by more than 10 points.  Take the Hornets Sunday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE WEEK on Chicago Bulls +3.5

The Chicago Bulls will be highly motivated for a victory tonight.  They have lost six straight games coming in, but covered in their last two in a 5-point loss at Phoenix as 8.5-point dogs and a 7-point loss at Utah as 11-point dogs.

If they can hang with both Utah and Phoenix, the two teams with the best records in the Western Conference, they can certainly beat the Brooklyn Nets tonight.  It's worth noting that the Bulls just got both Zach LaVine and Coby White back from injury for the Jazz game after they both sat out the Suns game.  And Nikola Vucevic is getting comfortable in their offense now.

The Bulls can certainly beat a Brooklyn Nets team that will be missing their two best players in James Harden and Kevin Durant.  The Nets were able to beat the Hornets without these two last time out, but they won't be able to beat the Bulls without them.  Especially not a Bulls team that is this motivated for a win and playing with a chip on their shoulder.

Plays against road favorites (Brooklyn) - after four or more consecutive wins, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a losing record are 58-25 (69.9%) ATS over the last five seasons.  The Nets are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games as favorites.  Brooklyn is 0-5 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a losing record.  Chicago is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 Sunday games.  Bet the Bulls Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Orlando Magic +16

The Orlando Magic have been an undervalued commodity since trading away three of their best players in Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier.  They clearly weren't going anywhere with those three, so it was time to move on.  And the roster that is left over isn't as bad as it is perceived to be, and these guys are playing with huge chips on their shoulders.

Indeed, the Magic have gone 3-2 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  They pulled the upset over the Suns as 9.5-point dogs, upset the Clippers as 11-point dogs and upset the Pelicans as 5-point dogs.  They also only lost by 3 as 7-point dogs to the Lakers and by 7 as 9.5-point dogs to the Blazers.  They got Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. from the Bulls, and they've had several players step up that were already on the roster.

Now the Magic are catching a whopping 16 points against the Utah Jazz, who are overvalued due to having the best record in the Western Conference.  I faded the Jazz yesterday with success and cashed in the Bulls +13.5 in a 7-point loss, and I'll fade the Jazz again today in this awful spot.  

Utah will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and its 6th game in 9 days here.  Don't be surprised if they elect to rest some starters after all five starters played more than 30 minutes last night.  Either way, this is too many points.  Bet the Magic Saturday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Thunder/Suns UNDER 219.5

The Phoenix Suns are so good this season because they play great defense and slow it down and get good shots on offense.  The Suns rank 23rd in pace this season at 99.1 possessions per game.  Phoenix ranks 6th in defensive efficiency, giving up just 107.2 points per 100 possessions.

Now the Suns take on the struggling Oklahoma City Thunder who are missing five of their top six scorers right now in Gilgeous-Alexander, Horford, Bazley, Dort and Muscala.  Ty Jerome is out tonight and Pokusevski is questionable.

It's no wonder the Thunder rank just 28th in offensive efficiency this season with all of the injuries they have sustained.  However, they have managed to stay more competitive than expected because they do play defense, ranking a solid 13th in defensive efficiency.

The first and only meeting between these teams this season saw just 199 combined points with a 102-97 upset victory by the Thunder.  The UNDER is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Phoenix.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Thunder last eight road games.  The UNDER is 50-22-1 in Thunder last 73 games as road underdogs.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Suns last six games playing on one days' rest.  Take the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* Bucks/Blazers NBA TV Late-Night BAILOUT on OVER 236.5

The Portland Trail Blazers are scary good offensively right now with the return of CJ McCollum (24.2 PPG, 4.7 APG) from injury and the addition of Norman Powell (19.4 PPG) from the Raptors.  These two going with Damian Lillard (29.8 PPG, 7.8 APG) and Carmelo Anthony (14.0 PPG) are going to make them very tough to tame.

The recent results with these guys have been tremendous as the Blazers have scored at least 122 points in three of their last four games overall.  But their additions won't help the Blazers much defensively as they remain one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.  They rank 29th in defensive efficiency, giving up 114.5 points per 100 possessions this season.  Only the Kings have been worse.

This game will be a shootout as the Blazers won't be able to get stops against a Milwaukee Bucks team that ranks 5th in offensive efficiency at 114.2 points per 100 possessions this season.  They average 118.9 points per game this season and I see both teams topping 120 points in this one.

The OVER is 3-1 in the last four meetings with combined scores of 240, 266 and 243 points at the end of regulation in the three OVERS.  The OVER is 8-3 in Bucks last 11 games overall.  The OVER is 7-1 in Bucks last eight games following a win by more than 10 points.  The OVER is 4-0 in Blazers last four games overall.  Portland is 9-1 OVER in its last 10 games when revenging a blowout loss by 20 points or more.  Roll with the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Chicago Bulls +13.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Utah Jazz.  They have won seven straight games coming in with several in blowout fashion.  But they did have three wins by 4 points or less during this stretch as well, and they could be without their best player in Donovan Mitchell (25.7 PPG, 5.5 APG), who sat out last game for personal reasons and is questionable again tonight.

Conversely, it's time to 'buy low' on the Chicago Bulls off five straight losses.  They have been battling through injury and chemistry issues but could get both Zach LaVine and Coby White back tonight as they have both been upgraded to questionable.  The Bulls showed last time out that they could compete on the road with a team as good as the Phoenix Suns in a 116-121 loss as 8.5-point dogs despite not having both White and LaVine.  

Nikola Vucevic is getting more comfortable in the system after getting traded from Orlando.  And the Bulls want revenge from a 95-120 home loss to the Jazz that started this losing streak on March 22nd, but that was the 2nd of a back-to-back for them, while the Jazz were on two days' rest coming into that game.

The Bulls are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 road games, including 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as road underdogs.  Chicago is 13-2 ATS in its last 15 road games after a non-conference game.  Plays on any team (Chicago) - revenging a loss by 10 points or more, off three or more consecutive road losses are 58-27 (68.2%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Bulls Friday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Warriors/Heat UNDER 220

We have two UNDER teams going at it tonight when the Warriors visit the Miami Heat Thursday night.  The Warriors are 28-19 UNDER in all games this season, while the Heat are 27-21 UNDER in all games.

The Heat have definitely been an UNDER team of late as five of their last six games have seen 215 or fewer combined points.  They have averaged just 205.5 combined points per game with their opponents in their last six games.  And now they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back tonight after a 92-87 win in Indiana last night.  They will be on tired legs and won't be looking to push the tempo.

The Heat will control the tempo playing at home tonight, and they rank 27th in pace at 99.2 possessions per game.  They are also 5th in defensive efficiency.  The Warriors have quietly ranked 9th in defensive efficiency as they are one of the most improved teams in the NBA on that end of the floor.  They struggle to score outside Stephen Curry, which is why they rank just 22nd in offensive efficiency, but they have Draymond Green and Wiseman to anchor their defense.  The Heat are just 23rd in offensive efficiency this season.

This will be a rematch from a February 17th meeting between the Heat and Warriors that was tied 105-105 at the end of regulation for just 210 combined points before going over the total in overtime.  If not for OT, the UNDER would be 6-3 in the last nine meetings with combined scores of 218 or fewer points in six of those nine meetings.

The UNDER is 9-2 in Warriors last 11 road games.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Warriors last seven games playing on two days' rest.  The UNDER is 9-1 in Warriors last 10 road games when the line is +3 to -3.  Bet the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* Hornets/Nets TNT ANNIHILATOR on Charlotte +3.5

The Brooklyn Nets are overvalued right now due to going 19-3 SU in their last 22 games overall.  I've been selling high on them for a few weeks now, and I'll continue to 'sell high' on them tonight as 3.5-point favorites against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Nets are just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They only beat the Pistons by 5 as 11-point home favorites, beat the Knicks by 5 as 8.5-point home favorites, lost outright to the Magic by 8 as 10.5-point road favorites, beat the Wizards by 7 as 9-point favorites, lost to the Jazz by 30 as 13-point dogs, only beat the Pistons by 2 as 6.5-point road favorites, only beat the Timberwolves by 5 as 10.5-point favorites and beat the Rockets by 12 as 12.5-point favorites in their eight non-covers during this stretch.  

As you can see, the Nets aren't blowing anyone out, and they haven't won any of their last 11 games by more than 12 points.  They trailed by 11 late in the 3rd quarter last night against the Rockets, so they used a lot of energy to come back from that deficit to win that game.  They did it all without James Harden, who left with a hamstring injury.  He is almost certainly going to be out tonight, and without him and Kevin Durant, this team is just not very good.  The Nets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days.  They won't have much left in the tank after that comeback against the Rockets last night.

Now they face a Charlotte Hornets team that is playing some of their best basketball of the season.  The Hornets are 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall with their only loss coming to the Phoenix Suns in overtime.  They have been way undervalued due to playing without LaMelo Ball, but they have the depth at the guard positions with Graham and Rozier to make up for his absence.

Charlotte pulled the 106-104 upset as 11-point dogs to a healthy Nets team in their last meeting this season.  Brooklyn is 1-9 ATS when revenging a loss as a favorite this season.  Charlotte is 5-0 ATS in its last five games playing on one days' rest.  The Nets are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games as favorites.  Brooklyn is 0-5 ATS in its last five home games.  The Hornets are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  These five trends combine for a 31-1 system backing Charlotte.  Take the Hornets Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Total DOMINATOR on Grizzlies/Jazz UNDER 227.5

This will be the 3rd meeting in 6 days between the Grizzlies and Jazz.  The just played a double-header in Utah on March 26th and 27th.  Familiarity favors defense and UNDERS, and I think this is the perfect spot to back the UNDER tonight, especially after those first two meetings went over the total.

The biggest difference here other than the familiarity is that Utah won't have leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (25.7 PPG, 5.5 APG).  He had 35 points in each of those first two meetings for 70 points across those two games.  That's a lot of production they are going to be missing, and it will certainly help us cash this UNDER ticket.

The UNDER is 30-10 in Grizzlies last 40 home games.  The UNDER is 14-3 in Grizzlies last 17 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The UNDER is 9-1 in Grizzlies last 10 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  The UNDER is 30-9 in the last 39 meetings in Memphis.  Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE MONTH on Memphis Grizzlies +5.5

I love the spot for the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.  They will be highly motivated for revenge after losing to the Jazz in back-to-back games on March 26th and 27th.  They lost by 3 on the 26th and by 16 on the 27th.  Now they get to face them just four days later and at home this time around.

The Grizzlies have been playing well now that they are healthy.  They have gone 4-2 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  The biggest difference here from those first two meetings is that they won't have to face Utah leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (25.7 PPG, 5.5 APG), who had 35 points in each of those two meetings with Memphis.  He's irreplaceable for this team.

It's mind-blowing that the Jazz are still 5.5-point favorites here without Mitchell.  It just goes to show how overvalued they really are right now due to having the best record in the Western Conference at 35-11, plus going 6-0 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.  It's time to 'sell high' on Utah.

It's also worth noting the Jazz' plane had to turn around last night after hitting a pack of pigeons and having smoke coming out of the engine.  That's definitely a distraction heading into this game, and I just don't think they are going to be all that motivated to beat the Grizzlies a 3rd time in less than a week.

The Grizzlies are 6-1 ATS in their last seven home games.  Memphis is 4-0 ATS in its last four games playing on one days' rest.  Utah is 2-5 ATS in its last seven road games.  Memphis is 38-15 ATS in its last 53 home games following a road win by 10 points or more.  Bet the Grizzlies Wednesday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Houston Rockets +13

The Brooklyn Nets are overvalued right now due to going 18-3 SU in their last 21 games overall.  I've been selling high on them for a few weeks now, and I'll continue to 'sell high' on them tonight as massive 13-point favorites over the Houston Rockets.

The Nets are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.  They only beat the Pistons by 5 as 11-point home favorites, beat the Knicks by 5 as 8.5-point home favorites, lost outright to the Magic by 8 as 10.5-point road favorites, beat the Wizards by 7 as 9-point favorites, lost to the Jazz by 30 as 13-point dogs, only beat the Pistons by 2 as 6.5-point road favorites, and only beat the Timberwolves by 5 as 10.5-point favorites in their seven non-covers during this stretch.  

As you can see, the Nets aren't blowing anyone out, and they haven't won any of their last 10 games by more than 12 points.  That makes for a 10-0 system backing the Rockets catching 13 points tonight.  And this is a Rockets team that is improving now that they are getting healthy, mainly getting their best player in Christian Wood back from injury.

The Rockets have only lost one of their last five games by more than 10 points.  They upset the Raptors by 18 as 8.5-point dogs and upset the Timberwolves by 22 as 4.5-point dogs.  They also only lost to the Grizzlies by 10 and the Timberwolves by 6 in a game they should have won after giving up a big lead late in the 4th.

The Nets are 0-6 ATS in their last six games as favorites.  Brooklyn is 0-4 ATS in its last four home games.  The Nets are 0-5 ATS in their last five games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Brooklyn is simply just going through the motions of late, especially against bad teams.  They won't be all that excited to face the Rockets either, while Houston will relish this opportunity to try and upset the Nets.  Roll with the Rockets Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Orlando Magic +11.5

This is a terrible spot for the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.  They are coming off back-to-back wins and covers over Philadelphia and Milwaukee, and they have huge games on deck against both the Nuggets and Lakers in their next two games.  This is the letdown spot where they don't show up tonight against the Orlando Magic, which is going to make it very difficult to cover this 11.5-point spread.

That's not the only reason its a terrible spot for the Clippers, either.  They are a tired team right now playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after their win over the Bucks last night.  They will also be playing their 5th game in 7 days tonight, which is about as tough a spot as there is in the NBA today.  Paul George sat out last night and is questionable tonight.  Serge Ibaka, Patrick Beverly and Rajon Rondo are all questionable.  And don't be surprised if they sit Kawhi Leonard to rest after he played more than 36 minutes last night.

The Magic are about as undervalued a team as you will find right now.  They just traded away three of their best players in Vucevic, Gordon and Fournier.  But they have gone 1-2 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall.  They upset the Suns as 9.5-point dogs, only lost to the Blazers by 7 as 9.5-point dogs, and only lost to the Lakers by 3 as 7-point dogs.  They have some good new players in Wendell Carter Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. from the Bulls, and they are expected to get Terrance Ross back in the lineup tonight from a knee injury.  This team is playing with a chip on their shoulder right now after all these trades and will relish this opportunity to try and beat the Clippers.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (LA Clippers) - after a home game where both teams scored 100 points or more, playing the 2nd of a back-to-back are 35-11 (76.1%) ATS since 1996.  The Magic are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  They just played the Suns, Blazers and Lakers all tough, so they can certainly hang with the Clippers, too.  Take the Magic Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on 76ers/Nuggets OVER 220.5

The Denver Nuggets have been the most efficient offensive team in the NBA since the beginning of March.  They are averaging 119.9 points per 100 possessions.  They have scored at least 110 points in 16 of their last 19 games overall.

The Philadelphia 76ers aren't as good defensively without Joel Embiid inside, but they haven't suffered much offensively, and they actually play at a faster tempo without him.  The 76ers have scored 108 or more points in 19 of their last 23 games overall.

Denver is 7-0 OVER after outrebounding its last opponents by 15 or more this season.  The OVER is 5-0 in 76ers last five games as road underdogs.  The OVER is 4-0 in Nuggets last four games following an ATS win.  The OVER is 24-11 in Nuggets last 35 games playing on one days' rest.  Roll with the OVER in this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Monday Undervalued Underdog on Cleveland Cavaliers +16

The Utah Jazz are way overvalued right now due to having the best record in the Western Conference at 34-11 and winning five straight games coming in, including three in blowout fashion.  

It's definitely time to 'sell high' on the Jazz now in their second-largest favorite role of the entire season.  The last time they were this big of a favorite they failed to cover as 19-point favorites in a 15-point win over Houston, which was mired in a 20-plus game losing streak.

The Cavaliers are much better than the Rockets, and they will give the Jazz more of a battle than they are prepared for.  Cleveland is 3-4 SU but 4-3 ATS in its last seven games overall with upset wins over Boston as 7.5-point dogs, Toronto as 7.5-point dogs and Chicago as 7.5-point dogs.  They also covered in a 2-point loss to Sacramento as 9-point dogs.  

Leading scorer Collin Sexton (24.0 PPG, 4.3 APG) returned from a hamstring injury and scored 26 points against the Kings.  Having him healthy makes all the difference for this team.  He had 36 points in the upset of Toronto and 29 in the upset of Boston.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (Utah) - a good team with a +7 PPG or better scoring margin against a bad team with a -7 PPG or worse scoring margin on the season after 42-plus game, after a game where both teams scored 105 or more points are 23-5 (82.1%) ATS since 1996.  I think the Jazz take the Cavaliers lightly tonight as well, which will help them get the cover.  Roll with the Cavaliers Monday.

15* NBA Monday Total DOMINATOR on Kings/Spurs OVER 228

This is a very low total for a Kings game this season.  The Kings have been one of the best OVER teams in the NBA this season as they are 27-19 OVER in their 46 games.  They are dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency, giving up 115.7 points per 100 possessions.  They also play at the 10th-fastest pace in the NBA this season.

The Spurs will oblige as they also like to push the tempo, shoot a lot of 3-pointers and play little defense.  The last time these teams squared off the Spurs won 129-120 for 249 combined points.  There's definitely some value on the OVER tonight given how both teams like to play.

Plays on the OVER on road teams where the total is 220 to 229.5 (Sacramento) - off two or more consecutive wins, with a losing record on the season are 52-19 (73.2%) over the last five seasons.

Sacramento is 17-7 OVER when the total is 220 to 229.5 this season.  The OVER is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.  The OVER is 35-17 in Kings last 52 games following an ATS loss.  The OVER is 9-4 in Spurs last 13 games vs. a team with a losing record.  Take the OVER in this game Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Minnesota Timberwolves +11.5

Lines on the Brooklyn Nets have gotten out of hand recently due to their current 17-3 SU run.  I've been 'selling high' on them for weeks, and I'll continue to do so tonight as they are 11.5-point favorites here against the Minnesota Timberwolves now.

The Nets are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall despite going 6-2 SU during this stretch.  They beat Detroit by 2 as 6.5-point favorites, lost to the Jazz by 30 as 13-point dogs, only beat the Wizards by 7 as 9-point home favorites, lost outright to the Magic by 8 as 10.5-point favorites, only beat the Knicks by 5 as 8.5-point favorites and also beat the Pistons by 5 as 11-point favorites.

The Timberwolves have been much more competitive since returning from the All-Star Break.  They have gone 4-6 SU & 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games overall with upset wins over the Pelicans by 30 as 8-point dogs, by 2 over the Blazers as 5.5-point dogs and by 4 over the Suns as 11-point dogs.  They just got second-leading scorer Malik Beasley (20.3 PPG) back from a 12-game suspension on Saturday and will be an even more dangerous team with him back in the lineup moving forward.

Plays on underdogs (Minnesota) off an upset loss by 10 points or more as a favorite, a tired team playing 8 or more games in 14 days are 44-19 (69.8%) ATS over the last five seasons.  They aren't that tired as they had yesterday off, and they'll have no problem getting motivated to face the Nets after they weren't motivated against the Rockets on Saturday after beating them Friday.  The Timberwolves are 24-8 ATS in the last 32 meetings.  The Nets are 0-5 ATS in their last five games as favorites.  Bet the Timberwolves Monday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Toronto Raptors ML -113

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Toronto Raptors right now.  They are 1-10 SU & 4-7 ATS in their last 11 games overall.  But the majority of those games came without three of their best players in Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Onunoby who combine to average 54.5 points per game.

Those three are back now and the Raptors have been much more competitive against some very good competition.  They have also put the trade rumors behind them that distracted them before the deadline.  They beat the Nuggets by 24 two games ago before losing a tough one by 4 points to the Suns last time out.

The Blazers come in overvalued after winning five of their last seven games overall.  Their last win came by just 7 points over a depleted Orlando Magic team that just traded everyone away.  Now the Blazers will be playing their 10th game in 16 days here and are a tired team.  Star PG Damian Lillard is questionable tonight with a knee injury as well.

Plays against road teams (Portland) - a tired team playing their 3rd game in 4 days, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a bad team (25% to 40%) are 52-22 (70.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Toronto also wants revenge from a 1-point loss in Portland in their first meeting this season.  The Blazers are 6-15 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Toronto is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the Raptors Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Oklahoma City Thunder +9.5

The Boston Celtics are in a terrible spot tonight.  Asking them to go on the road and beat the Oklahoma City by double-digits to beat us is simply asking too much given the difficulty of the spot for them.

The Celtics will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  They will be playing their fourth straight road game as well, so there has been a lot of travel involved.  And it will also be the 8th game in 12 days for the Celtics here.  

It's no wonder the Celtics have gone just 2-5 SU & 3-4 ATS in their last seven games overall given how tired they are.  And now they find themselves in a letdown spot off a shocking upset of the Bucks last night.  There's no way they'll be able to get up emotionally for the Thunder like they were against the Bucks last night.

Oklahoma City has been grossly undervalued all season, especially of late.  They have gone 5-5 SU in their last 10 games overall.  They have played many of those games without their best player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they will be without him again, which is why this line is so high.  But it's a great spot for the Thunder as they come in on two days' rest, so they will be able to adjust without him.

The Celtics are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win.  Boston is 0-6 ATS in its last six games playing on zero rest.  The Celtics are 3-11 ATS as road favorites this season.  Oklahoma City is 51-33 ATS in its last 84 games as an underdog.  Bet the Thunder Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Memphis Grizzlies +10.5

I cashed in the Grizzlies last night as 10-point underdogs against the Utah Jazz in their 114-117 loss.  I'm certainly back on them again today as they will be the team out for revenge, and they already proved they could hang with the Jazz.  There's no way they should be double-digit dogs again here.

The Jazz remain overvalued here due to having the best record in the Western Conference at 33-11.  It's time to 'sell high' on them, especially after two straight blowout wins over the Bulls by 25 and Nets by 30 coming into this double-header with Memphis.  But both of those teams were playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and were short-handed.

This double-header against the Grizzlies is clearly a step up in class for the Jazz.  The Grizzlies are playing their best basketball of the season right now due to being fully healthy.  Memphis had won three straight prior to yesterday and is now 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games overall.  Yet, the Grizzlies continue to get zero respect from oddsmakers tonight as double-digit dogs again.

Plays against favorites of 10 or more points (Utah) - after a home games where both teams scored 100 or more points, when playing the 2nd of a back-to-back are 35-11 (76.1%) ATS since 1996.

Memphis is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games when its opponent scored 100 points or more in their previous game.  The Grizzlies are 6-2 ATS in their last eight trips to Salt Lake City.  Memphis is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games following an ATS win.  The Grizzlies are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU loss.  Bet the Grizzlies Saturday.

15* NBA TOTAL OF THE DAY on Grizzlies/Jazz UNDER 228.5

This is one of my favorite spots to back an UNDER.  This is a double-header between the Grizzlies and Jazz.  They just played yesterday and now they will play again today.  Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.

The Jazz won 117-114 last night for 231 combined points.  It was a frantic 4th quarter with the Grizzlies making a big comeback that led to a big 4th quarter points-wise.  Now we just need one less 3-pointer to cash this UNDER 228.5, which shouldn't be a problem considering both teams will be playing on tired legs and the pace should be much slower because of it.

Memphis is 13-2 UNDER in its last 15 games after trailing in its previous game by 15 points or more at halftime.  Utah is 49-20 UNDER In its last 69 games off a close home win by 3 points or less.  The UNDER is 7-1 in Grizzlies last eight games as underdogs.  The UNDER is 17-5 in Grizzlies last 22 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The UNDER is 4-1 in Jazz last five games overall.  The UNDER is 11-5 in Grizzlies last 16 games overall.  Take the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on New York Knicks +9.5

The New York Knicks have been grossly undervalued all season, especially of late.  They are 23-2 SU & 26-18-1 ATS this season, including 8-5 SU & 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  And each of their last three losses all came by 5 points or fewer.

Their last blowout loss came at Milwaukee 101-134 on March 11th, and now they will be looking to get revenge from that defeat.  Given the tough spot for the Bucks tonight, I like the Knicks' chances of staying within single-digits or possibly pulling off the upset to cover this spread in the rematch.

The Bucks will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 days after losing 114-122 to the Celtics last night.  And it's a great time to sell high on the Bucks, who have gone 13-2 SU in their last 15 games overall and are starting to get too much respect from oddsmakers because of it.  And keep in mind the Knicks did beat the Bucks 130-110 as 13-point dogs in their first meeting this season.

New York is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games when revenging a road blowout loss by 20 points or more.  Milwaukee is 6-16 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.  New York is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 Saturday games.  Milwaukee is 1-5 ATS in its last six games following a SU loss.  Take the Knicks Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Rockets/Timberwolves UNDER 227.5

This is one of my favorite spots to back an UNDER.  This is a double-header between the Rockets and Timberwolves.  They just played yesterday and they will play again today.  Familiarity favors defense and low-scoring games.

The Timberwolves won 107-101 last night for just 208 combined points.  Now the books have come back with a 227.5-point total for the rematch, which is clearly too high.  The Rockets even made 17 3-pointers last night and still only scored 101 points.

Offense has been a problem for the Rockets all season as they rank just 29th in offensive efficiency at 102.8 points per 100 possessions.  The Timberwolves haven't been much better, ranking 26th at 104.3 points per 100 possessions.  And with both teams playing on tired legs, this game should be played at an even slower pace than it was yesterday.

Houston is 11-1 UNDER vs. poor foul drawing teams that attempt 21 or fewer free throws per game this season.  The Rockets are 13-3 UNDER in their last 16 games following a loss by 6 points or less.  The UNDER is 40-14-1 in Rockets last 55 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.  The UNDER is 6-1 in Timberwolves last seven games as favorites.  Roll with the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* Cavs/Lakers NBA Late-Night BAILOUT on Cleveland +4

Life without Lebron James and Anthony Davis has been hard for the Lakers.  They have gone 0-4 SU & 0-4 ATS in their last four games without them while losing those four games by an average of 11.8 points per game.

It's not going to get any easier tonight as now the Lakers will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days while being short-handed.  Kyle Kuzma played over 41 minutes, Dennis Schroeder over 38, Harrell over 32 and Caldwell-Pop over 30 for the Lakers in last night's 101-109 loss to the 76ers.  They won't have much left in the tank tonight.

There's no way the Lakers should be 4-point favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight given the tough spot for them.  This is a Cleveland team that has been a lot more competitive in recent weeks in going 7-6 SU & 8-5 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  This is definitely a game they can win outright as they have recent upset wins over the Hawks, 76ers, Celtics, Raptors and Bulls during this stretch.  They even upset the Bulls without Collin Sexton, and there's a chance he returns tonight as he is listed as questionable.

Plays on road underdogs (Cleveland) off a road win, a bad team (25% to 40%) playing a team with a winning record are 52-22 (70.3%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Los Angeles is 1-8 ATS in home games vs. teams that are outscored by 3-plus points per game this season.  Bet the Cavaliers Friday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE WEEK on Memphis Grizzlies +10

The Utah Jazz are overvalued right now due to having the best record in the Western Conference at 32-11.  It's time to 'sell high' on them, especially off two straight blowout wins over the Bulls by 25 and the Nets by 30.  But both of those teams were playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and both were short-handed.

Now the Jazz take a step up in class here against a Memphis Grizzlies team that has been playing some of their best basketball of the season now that they are finally healthy.  Indeed, the Grizzlies have won three straight games and are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  Yet, they are getting zero respect from oddsmakers tonight as double-digit underdogs.

The Grizzlies are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games playing on one days' rest.  Memphis is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when its opponent scored 100 points or more in their previous game.  The Grizzlies are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win.  Memphis is 5-2 ATS in its last seven trips to Salt Lake City.  Roll with the Grizzlies Friday.

15* NBA Friday Total DOMINATOR on Pacers/Mavericks OVER 228

The Dallas Mavericks are a great OVER team because they rank 9th in the NBA in offensive efficiency and 23rd in defensive efficiency.  Indiana plays at a fast pace (9th) and has been a much-improved offensive team since getting some guys back healthy.  The result should be a shoot tonight between these two that sees 230-plus combined points.

The Mavericks have scored 128, 132 and 119 points in their last three games overall.  They should hang a big number on a Pacers defense that has allowed 110 or more points in 15 of their last 17 games overall.  But the Pacers have picked it up offensively in scoring 109 or more points in five straight while averaging 118.0 points per game during this stretch.  Getting Caris LeVert healthy has made a big difference for them.

These teams just played earlier this year with the Mavericks winning 124-112 for 236 combined points.  The Pacers are 8-0 OVER when revenging a same-season loss this season.  Indiana is 9-0 OVER in its last nine games when revenging a loss where opponents scored 110 or more points.  The OVER is 10-1 in Pacers last 11 games playing on one days' rest.  The OVER is 10-2 in Pacers last 12 road games.  The OVER is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.  The OVER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Dallas.  Bet the OVER in this game Friday.

20* NBA Western Conference TOTAL OF THE MONTH on Nuggets/Pelicans UNDER 232

This is one of my favorite spots to back an UNDER.  The Nuggets and Pelicans just played on Sunday with the Pelicans winning 113-108 for 221 combined points.  Now they face each other five days later on Friday.  Familiarity favors UNDER and defense.

It's worth noting that both the Pelicans and Nuggets shot well in that game as the Nuggets shot 50% while the Pelicans shot 48.2%.  So it was played at a snail's pace, and that should be the case again here in the rematch.

These teams just match up well for UNDERS, clearly.  The UNDER is 5-1 in the last six meetings.  They have combined for 232 or fewer points in all six meetings and an average of just 219.5 points per game, which is 12.5 points per game less than this 232-point total.  So there's a ton of value with the UNDER tonight.

The UNDER is 4-1 in Nuggets last five road games.  The UNDER is 5-1 in Pelicans last six games vs. a team with a winning record.  Take the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Toronto Raptors +4.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Toronto Raptors.  They have gone just 1-9 SU in their last 10 games overall.  But they were missing three of their best players during most of that run, and they are back now in VanVleet, Siakam and Powell.  And now they have the trade deadline behind them so there shouldn't be any more distractions.

The Raptors came out and made a statement to management and ended their nine-game losing streak on Wednesday with an emphatic 135-111 win over the Denver Nuggets.  Now I look for them to build off that win and upset the Phoenix Suns tonight as 4.5-point home underdogs.

It's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Suns after overachieving in the first half of the season with the second-best record in the Western Conference at 29-14.  But they have come back down to reality of late with recent upset losses to the Pacers as 7-point favorites, the Timberwolves as 11-point favorites and the Magic as 9.5-point favorites.

Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last seven meetings with Phoenix.  The Raptors are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning record.  Toronto is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games playing on zero rest.  Take the Raptors Friday.

20* Celtics/Bucks ESPN No-Brainer on UNDER 235

This is one of my favorite spots to back an UNDER.  It's a double-header between the Celtics and Bucks tonight.  They just played each other on Wednesday, and now they are rematching in Milwaukee on Friday.  Familiarity favors defense and UNDERS.

Both teams shot very well in that first meeting and it still saw just 240 combined points.  And that total was set at 231 while this one has been set at 235, so we are getting some extra value.  Milwaukee shot 50% for the game and 17-of-37 (45.9%) from 3-point range.  Boston shot 47.9% for the game and 19-of-47 (40.4%) from 3-point range.  It's going to be hard to see them combining for 36 made 3-pointers again considering they average 28 combined per game on the season.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 230 or higher (Milwaukee) - after scoring 105 points or more in four straight games against an opponent that scored 110 points or more in three straight games are 174-114 (60.4%) since 1996.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Eastern Conference ANNIHILATOR on Detroit Pistons +5.5

The Brooklyn Nets are getting way too much respect from the books here of late after a recent stretch in which they went 14-1 SU.  But they aren't that team any more with all the injuries, and they are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.

The Nets are a tired team as well playing their 5th road game in the last six contests and their 3rd game in 4 days after a trip to Portland and Salt Lake City on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Now they have to make the trek to Detroit and won't have either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, plus they could be without James Harden, who is questionable.  We saw how poor they played without those three in their 30-point loss at Utah.

The trade deadline is over and the Pistons can refocus.  They also get Diallo (11.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG) back from injury tonight.  The Pistons have been undervalued for a few weeks now as they are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.  They've lost just twice by more than 5 points in that seven-game stretch.  Detroit wants revenge from a 95-100 loss at Brooklyn on March 13th less than two weeks ago.  

They are rested and ready to go playing just their 2nd game in 5 days, and the Pistons are 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games when playing their 2nd game in 5 days.  Detroit is 10-1 ATS vs. good teams that outscore their opponents by 3-plus points per game so they have been good at playing up to their level of competition.  They are also 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning % above. 600 as well.  The Nets have been the opposite, going 1-7 ATS in their last eight games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  Roll with the Pistons Friday.

20* NBA Western Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on San Antonio Spurs +6.5

The San Antonio Spurs will be out for revenge from a 101-134 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last night.  The Clippers shot 55.7% as a team and 17-of-33 (51.5%) from 3-point range.  That's not going to happen again.

The blowout nature of the loss allowed the Spurs to rest their starters with eight minutes remaining in the 4th quarter.  Look for them to regroup here, plus they are expected to get both Lonnie Walker IV (11.5 PPG) and Rudy Gay (10.9 PPG) back in the lineup tonight after both sat out last night.

The Clippers will be without Patrick Beverly and Serge Ibaka again tonight.  Behind short-handed doesn't help them in this back-to-back spot.  Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George played over 32 minutes late night.  Don't be surprised if one or both sits this game and we see a big line adjustment.

The Spurs are 14-2 ATS when revenging a blowout loss by 20 points or more over the last three seasons.  They are coming back to win by nearly 10 points per game on average in this spot.  San Antonio is 63-32 ATS in its last 95 games when revenging any loss.  The Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as road favorites.  The Spurs are 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games as underdogs.  Bet the Spurs Thursday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Clippers/Spurs UNDER 223.5

This is a double-header between the Spurs and Clippers tonight.  They just played last night with the Clippers winning 134-101.  Now they play again tonight, and I always look to back the UNDER in this spot because familiarity favors defense and UNDERS.

Look for this game to be played at a snail's pace tonight with both of these teams playing on tired legs, which helps the UNDER.  And don't expect the Clippers to shoot 55.7% from the floor and 17-of-33 (51.5%) from 3-point range again.  The Clippers rank 27th in the NBA in pace while the Spurs are 15th.

Plays on the UNDER on all teams where the total is 220 or higher (San Antonio) - revenging a same-season loss against an opponent that's off a road win by 20 points or more are 44-16 (73.3%) since 1996.

The Spurs are 8-1 UNDER when revenging a same-season loss this season.  We are seeing just 216.8 combined points per game on average in this spot.  The UNDER is 7-3 in Spurs last 10 home games.  Take the UNDER in this game Thursday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on San Antonio Spurs +6

The San Antonio Spurs are playing some of their best basketball of the season right now.  They are 3-2 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall with three road wins and only a 7-point road loss to the Bucks as 11.5-point dogs on the 2nd of a back-to-back.  

They came back and lost by 3 to the Hornets in their first game back home following a five-game road trip, which is always a tough spot for NBA teams.  Now they should be refocused coming off two straight losses and put their best foot forward here against the Clippers, which should be good enough to cover this 6-point spread.

The Clippers are coming off two straight home wins over the Hornets and Hawks, and I think this is a great time to step in front of them now that they are back on the road.  The Clippers are just 1-5 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.  They will be without Patrick Beverly tonight and likely without Serge Ibaka as well.

The Spurs are 2-2 SU & 3-1 ATS in their last four meetings with the Clippers with only one loss by more than 3 points.  They upset the Clippers 116-113 as 7.5-point road dogs in their lone meeting this season.  Los Angeles is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games following a SU win.  San Antonio is 19-9 ATS in its last 28 games as an underdog.  The Spurs are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss.  San Antonio is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 home games after two or more consecutive losses.  Roll with the Spurs Wednesday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Suns/Magic UNDER 215

Both the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic will be playing the 2nd of back-to-backs tonight.  I think the tired legs will affect their shooting more than anything, and it will also result in this game being played at a snail's pace.

The Magic are 5-1 UNDER in their last six games overall with combined scores of 209 or fewer points in five of those.  The only exception came against the Brooklyn Nets, who play at a fast pace and are the most efficient offensive team in the NBA this season.

The UNDER is 3-0 in Suns last three games overall with combined scores of 214, 205 and 210 points.  These teams played on February 14th with the Suns winning 109-90 for 199 combined points.  They combined for just 192 points in their previous meeting as well.

The Suns rank 28th in the league in pace at 99.4 possessions per game.  They like to slow it down, and so do the Magic, who are 19th in pace at 100.6 possessions per game.  A big reason the Suns are so good this season is because they rank 7th in the NBA in defensive efficiency.  They will lock down the short-handed Magic, who rank 28th in offensive efficiency this season.

The UNDER is 21-7 in Magic last 28 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.  Orlando is 5-0 UNDER In its last five games after allowing 100 points or more in its previous game.  The UNDER is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.  Take the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Toronto Raptors +1

The Toronto Raptors will be highly motivated for a win Wednesday.  It's a great time to 'buy low' on them after losing nine straight games coming into this game with the Denver Nuggets.  But five of their last six losses have come on the road.

In their only home game during this stretch, they blew a 5-point lead with just over a minute to play against the Jazz and lost by 3 but still covered.  Now they are back home and just recently got three key players back from injury or COVID.  Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are all back healthy now.  Those three combine to average nearly 54 points per game, so it's no wonder they struggled without them.

Now the Raptors face a Nuggets team that will be in a very tough spot Wednesday.  The Nuggets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after a game in Orlando on Tuesday.  They will also be playing their 8th game in 13 days since returning from the All-Star Break.  Jokic played 36 minutes, Murray 37, Barton 36 and Porter Jr. 32 last night.  They won't have much left in the tank for the motivated, rested Raptors tonight.

Denver is 8-17-1 ATS in its last 26 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  They always have a way of playing to their competition.  The Raptors are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning record, so they have the same tendency.  Toronto is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on one days' rest.  The Nuggets are 6-14-1 ATS in their last 21 games following a win by more than 10 points.  Nick Nurse is 34-17 ATS after failing to cover four or five of their last six ATS as the coach of Toronto.  Bet the Raptors Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Late-Night BAILOUT on Portland Trail Blazers -3.5

The Portland Trail Blazers just got CJ McCollum back in the lineup and are playing their best basketball of the season.  The Blazers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games overall with their only losses coming to the Suns, and then the Timberwolves and Mavericks in double-headers after beating them the game before, so they were clearly letdown spots.

Now the Blazers will certainly be refocused here with the Brooklyn Nets coming to town.  That's especially the case after their worst loss of the season by 40 points to the Mavericks last time out.  They had just beaten the Mavericks 125-119 two games prior, and they were probably looking ahead to this game against the Nets.

Everyone is looking ahead to this Nets team that has gone 15-2 SU in their last 17 games overall.  So it's a good time to 'sell high' on them, and I've been doing it with success of late as the Nets have gone just 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.  And now they are going to not only be without both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving tonight, but James Harden is also listed as questionable.  Even if Harden plays they don't have enough firepower to hang with the Blazers.

Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last five games following a loss by more than 10 points.  Roll with the Blazers Tuesday.

20* NBA Tuesday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Miami Heat +2

The Miami Heat will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after losing three straight games coming in, including two by 4 points or fewer.  They had gone 11-1 SU in their previous 12 games prior to this three-game skid.  And I think it's now time to 'buy low' on them as home underdogs to the Phoenix Suns knowing they will be max motivated tonight.

It's also a great time to 'sell high' on the Suns after going 20-5 SU & 20-5 ATS in their last 25 games overall.  But the Suns are coming off a very weak schedule with their last five games all coming at home against the Pacers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves (twice) and Lakers (without Lebron and Davis).  They even lost to the Timberwolves as 11-point favorites and the Pacers as 7-point favorites.

Miami simply owns Phoenix, going 17-3 SU & 16-4 ATS in the last 20 meetings.  The Heat are also 21-6 ATS in the last 27 meetings.  Miami is 20-9 ATS in its last 29 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The Heat are 8-0 ATS in their last eight home games off a close loss by 3 points or less.  Bet the Heat Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +7.5

It's a good time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic after going 1-10 SU in their last 11 games overall.  With all the injuries they've had, it's no surprise they are on this run.  But they just recently got Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon back, and those two alongside Vucevic give them a chance to beat anyone in the NBA.

The return of these two has coincided with the Magic being a lot more competitive of late.  They are 3-1 ATS in their last four games overall with a 5-point loss to the Heat as 7.5-point dogs, a 1-point loss to the Knicks as 4.5-point dogs, and an outright win by 8 over the Nets as 10.5-point dogs.  They went on to have a letdown against the Celtics in their next game after beating the Nets.  They'll be refocused tonight with the Nuggets coming to town.

It's also a good time to 'sell high' on the Nuggets, who have gone 8-2 SU in their last 10 games overall.  They were fortunate to beat the Bulls twice in games that went down to the wire.  They also only beat the Grizzlies by 1.  And they lost outright to the Pelicans last time out.  They are still without Monte Morris and Gary Harris right now and should not be favored by 7.5 on the road against the Magic tonight.

The Nuggets are 7-17-1 ATS in their last 25 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Magic are 4-0 ATS in their last four games vs. a team with a winning record.  Orlando is 3-0-1 ATS in its last four home games.  Denver is 12-24 ATS in its last 36 games after having won six or seven of its last eight games coming in.  Take the Magic Tuesday.

20* NBA Monday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis Grizzlies -1

The Memphis Grizzlies are finally healthy and it's starting to show.  The Grizzlies are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall.  They had yesterday off and will be fresh and ready to go tonight against the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  This is one of the toughest situations in the NBA.  They are expected to be without starting PG Kemba Walker due to rest and could be without Tristan Thompson as well.

The Celtics aren't playing well as it is, going 2-4 SU & 2-4 ATS in their last six games overall.  Their two wins came against Houston, which is now 0-20 SU in its last 20 games, and Orlando, which was in a letdown spot off an upset win over the Nets.  The Magic are also 1-10 SU in their last 11 games.  The Celtics lost to the Nets by 11, the Jazz by 8, were upset by the Cavs by 7 as 7.5-point favorites and upset by the Kings by 11 as 7-point favorites in their four losses during this stretch.

Boston is 0-5 ATS in its last five games playing on zero rest.  The Celtics are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games following an ATS win.  Boston is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU win.  The Celtics are 1-8 ATS in their last nine road games.  The Grizzlies are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games as home favorites.  Bet the Grizzlies Monday.

15* NBA Western Conference ANNIHILATOR on Minnesota Timberwolves -2

The Minnesota Timberwolves have come out of the All-Star Break a rejuvenated team.  They have gone 3-3 SU & 4-2 ATS in their last six games overall against all playoff contenders.  They beat the Pelicans by 30 as 8-point dogs, the Blazers by 2 as 5.5-point dogs and the Suns by 4 as 11-point dogs.

Now the Timberwolves come in rested and ready to go on two days' rest.  They finally take on a non-playoff contender here in the Thunder, who they should handle.  The Thunder are short-handed right now missing Darius Bazley (11.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG) and George Hill (11.8 PPG).  They could be without their best player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23.5 PPG, 6.0 APG) along with Al Horford (14.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG), who are both questionable.  That's four of their top five scorers.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Horford both sat out Sunday's 114-112 win over Houston.  But that's a Rockets team that is now 0-20 SU in its last 20 games overall and the worst team in the NBA.  Now the Thunder will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back here, and whether or not those two return this is still a very difficult situation for them playing a Timberwolves team that is on two days' rest.  The Thunder are at a huge disadvantage here.

Plays on all teams where the line is +3 to -3 (Minnesota) - an up-tempo team averaging 83 or more shots per game against an opponent that has gone five straight games allowing a shooting percentage of 47% or higher are 40-15 (72.7%) ATS over the last five seasons.  

Minnesota plays at the 3rd-fastest pace in the NBA and will definitely test Oklahoma City's tired legs.  The Thunder are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 games playing on zero rest.  The Timberwolves are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 meetings with OKC.  Roll with the Timberwolves Monday.

15* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Sacramento Kings -3.5

The Sacramento Kings are starting to play a lot better basketball here of late.  They are 5-5 SU in their last 10 games overall with three losses by 6 points or fewer.  The only games they were blown out were on the 2nd of a back-to-back at Philadelphia and at Atlanta, which has won eight straight games.

Sacramento now comes in rested after having yesterday off.  They take a big step down in competition here against Cleveland, which will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back after an upset win over the Raptors last night.  It will also be the 5th game in 7 days for the Cavaliers, who are already short-handed right now due to all their injuries.  They won't have much left in the tank here for the Kings, who play at a frantic pace and will test those tired legs more than most teams would.

The Kings are 3-0 SU & 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings with the Cavaliers, winning by 13, 19 and 14 points.  They are also 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings, and 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Cleveland.  Cleveland is 7-17 ATS in its last 24 games overall.  The Cavaliers are 3-15 ATS when playing six or more games in 10 days this season, losing by an average of 14.0 points per game in this spot.  Take the Kings Monday.

15* NBA Sunday Late-Night BAILOUT on Dallas Mavericks ML -121

I love the spot for the Dallas Mavericks tonight.  They will be out for revenge from a 119-125 road loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.  Now they get to face the Blazers again here just two days later and will be the more motivated team.  I think that will be enough to push them over the top and get a win here.

The Mavericks were just in this situation right before this series.  They had a double-headed with the Clippers.  After losing the first meeting 99-109, they came back two days later and crushed the Clippers 105-89.  And now after being a 2.5-point favorite in that first meeting with the Blazers, they are just 1.5-point favorites in the rematch.  I'm taking them on the money line though and the price is even better than it was in that first meeting.

It's double-revenge this season for the Mavericks as well after losing their other previous meeting with the Blazers by 3 points at home.  It's also triple-revenge if we go back to the end of last season as well.  Either way, that motivation will be on their side here, and I think the Blazers relax a little after winning three straight games overall coming in.

Not to mention, the Mavericks blew a 5-point lead entering the 4th quarter on Friday.  The Mavericks are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following an ATS loss.  Dallas is 4-0 ATS in its last four games following a SU loss.  Take the Mavericks Sunday.

20* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE MONTH on Washington Wizards +8.5

It's definitely a great time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets after going 14-2 SU in their last 16 games overall.  That has been evident here of late as they are just 1-3 ATS in their last four games overall with narrow victories over the Knicks, Pistons and Pacers and an outright loss to the Magic as double-digit dogs.

Now I'll gladly take the 8.5-points here with the Washington Wizards.  It's a great time to 'buy low' on them after going 1-5 SU in their last six games overall.  But that lone victory came last time out in an upset win over the Jazz as 11-point dogs.  And now they've had two days' rest and will be fresh and ready to go against the Nets tonight.

The Wizards are already 2-0 SU & 2-0 ATS in their two meetings with the Nets this season, winning outright as 7-point road dogs and 5.5-point home dogs.  So there's no reason they should be 8.5-point dogs here, especially since they are healthier now than they were in those two previous meetings.  And Kevin Durant played in each of those first two meetings, but they are without him now.

The Wizards are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as underdogs.  Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last five games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Brooklyn is 1-6 ATS in its last seven games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.  The Wizards are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.  Bet the Wizards Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday No-Doubt Rout on Toronto Raptors -7.5

It's time to 'buy low' on the Toronto Raptors after going 0-7 SU in their last seven games overall.  But they just got VanVleet, Siakam and Onunoby back from COVID and nearly upset the Jazz in a 112-115 loss as 5.5-point dogs last time out.  They are highly motivated to end this skid and should be able to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers by double-digits tonight.

The Cavaliers are 1-5 SU in their last five games overall with three losses coming by 15 points or more to the Pelicans by 34, the Hawks by 18 and the Heat by 15.  While the Raptors are finally fully healthy, the Cavaliers are missing four or five key players right now.  That's why they have struggled so much of late to even be competitive.

The Raptors are 6-1 SU in their last seven meetings with the Cavaliers with five of those wins coming by double-digits.  Toronto is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games playing on one days' rest.  Cleveland is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 games following an ATS loss.  The Cavaliers are 21-45-1 ATS in their last 67 games playing on one days' rest.  Roll with the Raptors Sunday.

20* NBA Saturday Total DOMINATOR on Grizzlies/Warriors UNDER 221.5

As the Memphis Grizzlies have gotten healthy, they have become a great UNDER team in recent weeks.  They are filled with elite defenders when healthy, which is a big reason they are 10-2 UNDER in their last 12 games overall.  The JA Morant effect always has their totals inflated.

The Warriors have also been a great UNDER bet of late.  They are 9-3 UNDER in their last 12 games overall.  Now they are definitely an UNDER team tonight as they are likely to be without Steph Curry (29.0 PPG) once again as he is listed as doubtful.  They will also be without James Wiseman (11.8 PPG) and Eric Paschall (9.5 PPG).

I cashed in the UNDER 224 between the Grizzlies and Warriors last night in a game that saw just 219 combined points after a frantic finish in the 4th quarter.  That total closed at 221, and I expect this one to be on the move as well and finish lower than 221.5.  I love taking UNDERS in these double-header situation where the same two teams face each other in back-to-back games.  Familiarity favors defense and UNDER.

The UNDER is 4-0 in the last four meetings in this series.  In fact, the Grizzlies and Warriors have combined for 224 or fewer points in 10 of their last 12 meetings in this series.  The UNDER is 9-3 in those 12 meetings.  The UNDER is 8-1 in Warriors last nine road games.  The UNDER is 36-17 in Warriors last 53 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The UNDER is 29-9 in Grizzlies last 38 home games, including 11-2 in Grizzlies last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the UNDER in this game Saturday.

15* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Memphis Grizzlies -5.5

The Memphis Grizzlies took the Golden State Warriors lightly yesterday because they were without Stephen Curry.  They paid for it in a 103-116 upset loss as 7-point favorites.  They won't make the same mistake again in the rematch Saturday.

Now it's time to 'buy low' on the Grizzlies, who will be the more motivated team here and who we are getting at a better number than yesterday.  Oddsmakers have adjusted this line down from -7 to -5.5 in favor of the Grizzlies.  I love the value here knowing we are getting the more motivated team.

The Warriors are likely to be without Curry (29.0 PPG), Wiseman (11.8 PPG, and Paschall (9.5 PPG) again tonight.  So the 2nd of a back-to-back hurts them more knowing they are already short-handed, while the Grizzlies are fully healthy and should have all hands on deck.  Andrew Wiggins isn't scoring 40 points and going 14-of-24 from the field and 6-of-11 from 3-point range again.  The Grizzlies will make the proper adjustments to stop him, and the rest of this Warriors roster isn't good enough to beat them.

Golden State is 1-8 ATS after two or more consecutive wins this season.  The Warriors are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games playing on zero rest.  Golden State is 11-23-1 ATS in its last 35 games following a win by more than 10 points.  The Grizzlies are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following a SU loss.  Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as a home favorite.  Roll with the Grizzlies Saturday.

20* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK on Warriors/Grizzlies UNDER 224

As the Memphis Grizzlies have gotten healthy, they have become a great UNDER team in recent weeks.  They are filled with elite defenders when healthy, which is a big reason they are 9-2 UNDER in their last 11 games overall.  The JA Morant effect always has their totals inflated.

The Warriors have also been a great UNDER bet of late since getting their big men in Wiseman and Looney back healthy.  The Warriors are 8-3 UNDER in their last 11 games overall.  Now they are definitely an UNDER team tonight as they are likely to be without both Steph Curry (29.0 PPG) and Kelly Oubre Jr (15.2 PPG), which are two of their top three scorers.  Both are listed as doubtful, and they will be without their fifth-leading scorer in Eric Paschall (9.5 PPG) as well.

The UNDER is 3-0 in the last three meetings in this series with combined scores of 224, 212 and 209 points.  In fact, the Grizzlies and Warriors have combined for 224 or fewer points in nine of their last 11 meetings in this series.  The UNDER is 8-3 in those 11 meetings.  There's a ton of value with the UNDER 224 tonight.

The UNDER is 7-1 in Warriors last eight road games.  The UNDER is 35-17 in Warriors last 52 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The UNDER is 28-9 in Grizzlies last 37 home games, including 10-2 in Grizzlies last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  Bet the UNDER in this game Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Toronto Raptors +5.5

The Toronto Raptors have been playing without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby for a couple weeks now.  That's 54 points per game of production they have been missing.  It's not wonder they have gone just 1-8 SU in their last nine games overall.

But all three are back now, and it's time to 'buy low' on this team as 5.5-point home underdogs to the Utah Jazz tonight.  The Raptors will be fresh and ready to go tonight playing just their 2nd game in 5 days.  They will be playing with a sense of urgency to try and end their six-game losing streak, and I think they have a great shot to win this game outright, let alone cover the 5.5-point spread.

The Jazz have come back down to the reality of late in going 3-5 SU & 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall.  Their only three wins have come against the Magic, Rockets and Celtics.  They just lost outright to the Wizards as double-digit favorites last night.  All five starters played more than 30 minutes in trying to come back to win that game, so they will now be on tired legs playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 4th road game in 6 days.

The Jazz are 8-17-2 ATS in their last 27 games following a loss.  The Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a winning record.  Toronto is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on one days' rest.  The Raptors are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 meetings with the Jazz, including 6-1 ATS in their last seven home meetings.  Utah is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games fater trailing in its previous game by 15 points or more at halftime.  Toronto is 17-4 ATS in its last 21 games after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games coming in.  Roll with the Raptors Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Pelicans/Blazers UNDER 239.5

Yes, I've been cashing in on Pelicans OVERS as much as anyone in the industry this season.  So yes, it pains me to take an UNDER in their game tonight.  But the situation calls for it, and the books have missed their mark with this total because of it.

I cashed in the Mavs/Clippers UNDER 227 last night in the same situation in a game that saw just 196 combined points and went way under the number.  They had just played each other two days prior.  Well, the Pelicans and Blazers played just two days ago in Portland.  I cashed in the OVER 240 in that game.  But familiarity favors defense and UNDERS, and I look for this game to be way lower-scoring than that first meeting because of it.

Portland beat New Orleans 125-124 for 249 combined points two days ago.  But both teams aren't going to shoot as well tonight as they did in that game as the defenses adjust and take away their offensive strengths.  The Pelicans shot 52.3% from the field, 48.5% from 3-point range and 16-of-20 (80%) from the charity stripe in that game.  The Blazers shot 52.1% from the field, 41.9% from 3-point range and a ridiculous 31-of-31 (100%) from the free throw line.  Just a small dip in those shooting percentages from both teams will have us cashing in this UNDER 239.5 tonight.  Take the UNDER in this game Thursday.

20* NBA Thursday Undervalued Underdog on Orlando Magic +5.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Orlando Magic tonight off eight straight losses.  They have battled through injuries and continue to show up every night, which showed in their 97-102 loss as 7.5-point dogs to Miami last time out.  They also covered in an 8-point loss to the Heat a few games prior.  They are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games overall.

Now the Magic have had the last three days off to rest up and get healthier.  Both Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon returned to practice finally and could play tonight.  Terrance Ross is also questionable and could play.  The Magic are more than capable of beating the Knicks without these guys given how rested and ready they are, but getting them back would be an added bonus.

This is an awful spot for the Knicks.  They return home following a four-game road trip that saw them lose to Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia.  They lost by 5 to the Nets and by 3 to the 76ers in their last two games in heartbreaking fashion.  I think they suffer a hangover from those defeats, and I always like fading teams in their first game back home from a long road trip.  Not to mention, the Knicks are far from full strength with Mitchell Robinson, Derrick Rose, Austin Rivers and Elfrid Payton out plus star rookie Immanuel Quickley is questionable with an ankle injury.

Plays on road underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (Orlando) - a cold team having lost 15 or more of their last 20 games against an opponent that has lost four or five of their last six games are 45-17 (72.6%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Orlando is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 road games after a division game.  Bet the Magic Thursday.

20* Clippers/Mavericks ESPN Total DOMINATOR on UNDER 227

I really like to bet UNDERS on these games that are rematches when teams play each other two games in a row.  Teams get familiar with each other and it always seems to favor defense in that 2nd meeting.

Plus, the recent head-to-head history between these teams suggests there's a ton of value with the UNDER.  The UNDER is 3-0 in the last three meetings between the Clippers and Mavericks with combined scores of 208, 197 and 198 points.  That's an average of 201 combined points per game, which is 26 points less than this 227-point total.

The Clippers just beat the Mavericks 109-99 on Monday in the first meeting of this double-header.  And both teams shot really well with the Clippers shooting 50% from the field and 43.7% from 3-point range.  The Mavericks shot 49.4% from the field and 41.5% from 3-point range.  So it was played at a snail's pace, and it should be more of the same here.

The UNDER is 13-3 in Mavericks last 16 games as underdogs.  The UNDER is 6-0 in Mavericks last six games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.  The UNDER is 5-0 in Mavericks last five home games.  Bet the UNDER in this game Wednesday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Memphis Grizzlies +2

I love the spot for the Memphis Grizzlies tonight.  They will be highly motivated for a victory after losing three straight games with two of those losses coming to the Nuggets by a single point and the Suns on the 2nd of a back-to-back.  It's a good time to 'buy low' on them as well off those three straight losses.

Conversely, it's a great time to 'sell high' on the Miami Heat after 11-1 SU & 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  All of their recent wins have come against bottom feeders.  Only two of those 11 wins came against teams with winning records.  Their current five-game winning streak has come against the Pelicans, Magic (twice), Bulls and Cavaliers.

This is an awful spot for the Heat, who will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.  Don't be surprised to see them rest some players in this one, most notably Bam Adebayo and/or Jimmy Butler.

The Heat are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  The Grizzlies are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games.  Miami is 4-13 ATS in its last 17 games following a win by 15 points or more.  Take the Grizzlies Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday No-Doubt Rout on Golden State Warriors -11.5

The Houston Rockets are the worst team in the NBA right now.  They have had players wanting traded all season, and it just has been a terrible chemistry with this team.  And the injury situation is so bad that they aren't even playing replacement-level players at this point, it's a bunch of guys who should be in the G League.

The Rockets are 0-17 SU & 2-15 ATS in their last 17 games overall.  They have now lost 10 straight games by 11 points or more and by an average of 19.9 points per game.  They are without John Wall, Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker and Rodions Kurucs.  They could be without Danuel House, CHristian Wood, Ben McLemore and will likely be without Victor Oladipo, who is doubtful.

Oladipo is doubtful due to rest after scoring 34 points in their 107-119 loss to the Hawks last night.  Now the Rockets will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back and their 5th game in 7 days.  This situation is awful for most teams, but especially troubling for a team like the Rockets that is short-handed already.

I have zero concern about a Warriors letdown tonight, too, which is why I'm willing to lay this large number.  The Warriors will be highly motivated for a victory after going 1-5 in their last six games overall.  But those six games came against the class of the league in the Lakers (twice), Clippers, Jazz, Suns and Blazers.  They even upset the Jazz by 12 for their lone victory.  This is a huge step down in class for them and a great opportunity to get back on the right track.  They will take advantage.

The Warriors are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games vs. a team with a losing record.  The Rockets are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 games as home underdogs.  Enough said.  Roll with the Warriors Wednesday.

15* NBA Wednesday Undervalued Underdog on Indiana Pacers +4

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets after going 13-1 SU in their last 14 games overall.  They are starting to just go through the motions, and I successfully faded them in each of their last two wins over Detroit by 5 as 11-point home favorites and New York by 5 as 8.5-point home favorites.

Now I'm fully expecting the Nets to lose outright as they hit the road here after playing a very weak schedule of late with their last seven wins coming against the Kings, Magic, Spurs, Rockets, Celtics, Pistons and Knicks.  This is a step up in class against the Pacers tonight.

The Pacers are as healthy as they've been in a long time with the debut of Caris LeVert two games ago against the Phoenix Suns, a game they won outright 122-111 as 7-point dogs to flash their potential.  That was the 2nd of a back-to-back after a tough 5-point road loss to the Lakers the night before.  And they went on to lose to the Nuggets on the road in a very tough 3-game road trip coming out of the All-Star Break.  

Now the Pacers are back home here and primed to upset the Nets.  It's a great time to 'buy low' on them after going 1-8 ATS in their last nine games overall.  And you know LeVert is going to want some revenge here after the Nets just traded him away mid-season.  Look for a huge game from him, and for his teammates to rally around him and get this outright victory, though we'll take the 4 points for some insurance.

The Pacers are 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.  Indiana is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six home games vs. a team with a road winning % above .600.  The Pacers are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 games after failing to cover six or seven of their last eight games.

Plays against road favorites (Brooklyn) - after four or more consecutive wins, a good team (60% to 75%) playing against a team with a losing record are 57-25 (59.5%) ATS over the last five seasons.  Bet the Pacers Wednesday.

15* NBA Tuesday Total DOMINATOR on Blazers/Pelicans OVER 240

Death, taxes and Pelicans OVERS.  Those are the only three sure things in life.  The Pelicans have been the best OVER team in the NBA this season.  They have gone 28-6 OVER in their last 34 games overall.  And the books have once again not set the number high enough here against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Pelicans and their opponents have combined for 240-plus points in nine of their last 13 games overall without any of those 240-plus efforts going to overtime.  The Pelicans rank 6th in offensive efficiency at 113.5 points per 100 possessions and 28th in defensive efficiency at 113.7 points per 100 possessions.  That makes them the perfect OVER team.

The Blazers are in the same boat as they are 29th in defensive efficiency at 114.5 points per 100 possessions allowed.  Only the Kings have been worse.  But Portland is 8th in offensive efficiency, and they get a big boost on that end with the return of CJ McCollum from a foot injury tonight.  He averaged 26.7 points and 5.0 assists per game in 13 games prior to the injury.

The OVER is 3-0 in the last three meetings in this series with combined scores of 250, 243 and 245 points with none of those games going to overtime.  Six of the past nine meetings have seen 240 or more combined points.  Three of Portland's last four games have seen 242 or more combined points coming in.  Roll with the OVER In this game Tuesday.

15* NBA Tuesday No-Doubt Rout on Atlanta Hawks -9.5

The Houston Rockets are the worst team in the NBA right now.  They have had players wanting traded all season, and it just has been a terrible chemistry.  And the injury situation is so bad that they aren't even playing replacement-level players at this point it's a bunch of guys who should be in the G League.

The Rockets are 0-16 SU & 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games overall.  They have now lost nine straight games by 11 points or more and by an average of 20.8 points per game.  They are without John Wall, Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker and Rodions Kurucs.  They could be without Christian Wood, Danuel House and Ben McLemore tonight as well.

Since the Hawks went to Nate McMillan as head coach they have been on fire.  They are 5-0 SU & 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall and coming off two striaght blowout wins by 15 over Sacramento and by 18 over Cleveland.  Sitting at 19-20 this season, the Hawks have a chance to get to .500 for the first time since late January.  They will be motivated to do just that, so I don't expect a letdown here against Houston.

The nine straight losses by 11-plus points for Houston makes for a 9-0 system backing Atlanta pertaining to this 9.5-point spread tonight.  The Rockets are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games as home underdogs.  Take the Hawks Tuesday.

20* Jazz/Celtics TNT No-Brainer on Boston +4.5

The Boston Celtics are as healthy as they have been all season and it's starting to show in their performances.  They just got Marcus Smart back after the All-Star Break and are now a serious contender in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics are 5-1 SU in their last six games overall with their only loss coming on the road to Brooklyn, which is playing as well as anyone right now in going 13-1 in their last 14 games overall.  Boston should not be catching 4.5 points at home against Utah tonight.

The Jazz are overvalued due to that incredible run they went on until right up before the All-Star Break.  The Jazz have finally come back down to reality of late.  They are 2-4 SU & 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall with upset losses to the Warriors, 76ers, Pelicans and Heat.  Their only two wins came against the Magic and Rockets.  The Rockets are 0-16 in their last 16 games, while the Magic are 0-8 in their last eight contests.

The Celtics are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games as home underdogs.  Utah is 0-5 ATS in its last five road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Boston is 6-0 ATS in its last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The Jazz are 0-8 ATS in their last eight games when playing 3 or fewer games in 10 days.  The Celtics are 7-0 ATS in their last seven home games after playing a road game.  These last four trends combine for a perfect 26-0 system backing Boston.  Bet the Celtics Tuesday.

15* Knicks/Nets ESPN ANNIHILATOR on New York +8

It's a great time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets, who are 12-1 SU & 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games overall.  I successfully backed the Pistons +11.5 against the Nets in a 5-point loss to them in Brooklyn's last game Saturday.  And now I'm fading them again tonight with the New York Knicks as 8-point underdogs.

The Knicks have been grossly undervalued all season.  They are 20-19 SU & 22-17 ATS this year.  They are coming off a 119-97 win in Oklahoma City for their fifth win in their last seven games.  Four of those five wins came by double-digits.  

Now the Knicks will be motivated to show they can play with a team like Brooklyn on National TV tonight.  New York is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and hasn't lost any of those games by more than 7 points.  That's important when we're talking about this 8-point spread tonight.

In fact, Brooklyn has just one win in its last 13 meetings with New York by more than 8 points, and that was a 10-point victory.  That makes for a 12-1 system backing the Knicks pertaining to this 8-point spread.  New York is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games after playing two consecutive road games.  Take the Knicks Monday.

20* NBA DOG OF THE MONTH on Washington Wizards +9.5

It's a great time to 'buy low' on the Washington Wizards after going just 1-5 SU in their last six games overall.  But their losses all came to good teams in Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Memphis (twice).  And they also upset the Clippers.

They only lost 119-125 to the Bucks at home on Saturday without both Bradley Beal and Dylan Bertans.  So they've proven they can hang with the Bucks even without these two, and there's a decent chance they get one or both back for the rematch today as both are questionable.  

The Wizards will be the more motivated team here for revenge in this double-header situation.  I think the Bucks will relax enough that it will make it extremely difficult for them to win by 10-plus points, which is what it's going to take to cover this 9.5-point spread.

The Wizards have been undervalued for weeks as they are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall . Washington is 18-6 ATS in its last 24 Monday games.  The Wizards are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as home underdogs.  The Bucks are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games.  Milwaukee is 0-6 ATS in its last six road games vs. a team with a losing home record.  Bet the Wizards Monday.

25* NBA Eastern Conference GAME OF THE YEAR on Chicago Bulls -3.5

I faded the Toronto Raptors yesterday with success on the Charlotte Hornets, who beat them 114-104 as 2-point favorites.  I'm fading them again today for a number of the same reasons, not the least of which they will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back tonight and will not have much left in the tank.

The Raptors remain without Pascal Siakam (20.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.8 APG), Fred VanVleet (20.1 PPG, 6.6 APG) and OG Anunoby (13.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG) due to COVID.  That's roughly 54 points per game they are missing in their lineup.  Their losses will be amplified in this 2nd of a back-to-back situatuion.

It's no surprise that the Raptors have struggled of late without them, going 1-6 SU in their last seven games overall with their lone victory coming against the Houston Rockets.  Well, that's a Rockets team that has now lost 15 straight games and is probably the worst team in the NBA right now.

I have no doubt the Bulls will be highly motivated for a victory tonight after coming out of the All-Star Break with two straight losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.  Those two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  Now the Bulls get a big step down in class here against the Raptors, who in their current state are one of the worst teams in the NBA.  And the Bulls are as healthy as they have been all season right now and the chemistry should be there in their 3rd game back from the break.

Chicago is a perfect 9-0 ATS in its last nine home games after losing four of its last five games coming in.  The Bulls are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. a team with a losing record.  Chicago is 7-0 ATS in its last seven Sunday games.  These three trends combine for a perfect 22-0 system backing the Bulls tonight.  Bet the Bulls Sunday.

15* NBA Sunday Total DOMINATOR on Clippers/Pelicans OVER 234

The OVER is 27-6 in Pelicans last 33 games overall.  They have been the best OVER team in the NBA this season, and I think they have set this number against the Clippers too low here Sunday in what should be another shootout.

The Pelicans rank 28th in defensive efficiency this season giving up 113.8 points per 100 possessions.  The Clippers can name their score as they rank 2nd in offensive efficiency, scoring 116.1 points per 100 possessions.  

The Pelicans are 8th in offensive efficiency as well at 113.1 points per 100 possessions.  And they may not have to face Patrick Beverly, who is the Clippers' best defender and expected to miss this game.  That means more Lou Williams and better offense but worse defense for the Clippers in this one.

New Orleans is 10-1 OVER when revenging a road loss this season.  The OVER is 8-0 in Pelicans eight home games following an ATS win this season.  The OVER is 7-2 in Clippers last nine games as a road favorite.  The OVER is 17-4 in Pelicans last 21 home games.  The OVER is 8-0 in Pelicans last eight home games vs. a team with a winning road record.  The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings.  Take the OVER in this game Sunday.

20* NBA Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Boston Celtics -10.5

Things are getting worse before they get better for the Houston Rockets.  The Rockets are 0-15 SU & 2-13 ATS in their last 15 games overall.  Each of their last eight losses have come by 11 points or more, and I think we can chalk up a ninth straight loss by 11-plus here against the Boston Celtics before this one is even played.

The Rockets are a G League team right now at best.  They are without Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, John Wall, Danuel House, PJ Tucker and Rodions Kurucs.  They are lokely to be without Victor Oladipo, who is questionable.  They just don't have many healthy bodies, and the ones they do are not even replacement-level players.  It's no wonder they have lost 15 straight and eight straight by 11-plus.

The Boston Celtics come in as healthy as they have been all season as they just got Marcus Smart back from injury after the All-Star Break.  They have gone 4-1 SU in their last five games overall with their only loss coming on the road to the Brooklyn Nets, who are playing as well as anyone right now.  They come in rested on two days' rest and can seriously just show up and win this game by 11-plus tonight.

Boston is a perfect 8-0 ATS in its last eight games following a road loss by 10 points or more.  The Rockets are 0-7 ATS in their last seven games as home underdogs.  Take the Celtics Sunday.

15* NBA Saturday Undervalued Underdog on Detroit Pistons +11.5

It's time to 'sell high' on the Brooklyn Nets tonight.  They are 11-1 SU & 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games overall.  They were only double-digit favorites once during this streak, and that was against the Houston Rockets, who have now lost 15 straight games and are probably the worst team in the NBA right now.

Now the Nets are laying double-digits to a Detroit Pistons team that keeps showing up despite some injury problems all season.  The Pistons have finally gotten healthy now and have an absolute stud in Jerami Grant leading the way.

The Pistons have only lost by more than 10 points twice in their last 12 games overall.  So they have been very competitive, and I look for them to give the Nets a run for their money tonight.  The Nets are in a letdown spot off their big win over Boston.  And they just don't blow out the Pistons very often.

Detroit has only lost by more than 10 points to Brooklyn once in the last 20 meetings, making for a 19-1 system backing the Pistons pertaining to this 11.5-point spread.  The Pistons are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games after playing three consecutive road games.  Detroit is 9-1 ATS in its 10 games against good teams that outscore their opponents by 3-plus points per game this season.  Take the Pistons Saturday.

20* NBA Saturday No-Doubt Rout on Charlotte Hornets -2

The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the most underrated teams in the NBA this season.  They sit at 18-18 on the season after going 8-4 in their last 12 games overall.  And they have been especially good when fully healthy, which is the case for them right now.

The same cannot be said for the Raptors.  They remain without Pascal Siakam (20.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.8 APG), Fred VanVleet (20.1 PPG, 6.6 APG) and OG Anunoby (13.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG) due to COVID.  That's roughly 54 points per game they are missing in their lineup.

It's no surprise that the Raptors have struggled of late without them, going 1-5 SU in their last six games overall with their lone victory coming against the Houston Rockets.  Well, that's a Rockets team that has now lost 15 straight games and is probably the worst team in the NBA right now.

The Hornets are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS loss.  They only reason they didn't cover last game was because the Pistons got a meaningless layup at the buzzer.  Charlotte is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 home meetings with Toronto and 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings overall.  Bet the Hornets Saturday.

20* NBA Friday Non-Conference KNOCKOUT on Cleveland Cavaliers +7.5

The New Orleans Pelicans had a gutless performance yesterday in their first game back from the All-Star Break.  You would think a team that lost four of its last five going into the break would come out motivated.  But they simply weren't, and they fell 105-135 to Minnesota despite being an 8-point favorite.  That's a Timberwolves that was 0-9 SU & 0-9 ATS in their previous nine games and they lost by 30 to them.

Now the Pelicans will be playing the 2nd of a back-to-back, and don't be surprised if they rest Zion Williamson like they sometimes do on these back-to-backs.  Either way, the Pelicans cannot be trusted to be laying 7.5 points here in this situation against a Cleveland Cavaliers team playing their best basketball of the season.

Indeed, the Cavaliers are 4-1 SU & 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.  They have upset wins over the Hawks as 7.5-point dogs, Rockets twice as dogs and 76ers are 11.5-point dogs.  They also only lost to the Pacers by 3 as 6.5-point home dogs.  They come out of the break with a ton of momentum and looking to pick up right where they left off here.

The Cavaliers are 5-0 ATS in their last five games as underdogs.  New Orleans is 0-5 ATS in its last five games as a favorite.  The Pelicans are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games as home favorites.  Roll with the Cavaliers Friday.

15* NBA Friday UPSET SHOCKER on Memphis Grizzlies +3.5

The Memphis Grizzlies are finally healthy and rolling.  They are 4-2 SU & 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall with an upset win over the Clippers by 28 and a 1-point loss to the Bucks as 6-point dogs.  All four victories came by 14 points or more as well.

Now the Grizzlies take on a Denver Nuggets team that is getting too much respect from oddsmakers and shouldn't be road favorites here.  But the Nuggets are getting that respect due to going 4-0 SU & 4-0 ATS in their final four games going into the All-Star Break with three of those wins coming against Eastern Conference bottom feeders in the Thunder, Bulls and Pacers.

I like the fact that the Grizzlies have already played a game out of the break with their 127-112 win over the Wizards to knock off the rust.  Meanwhile, Denver hasn't played since March 4th and will be rusty.  The Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last six games when playing on three or more days' rest.

Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its last six home meetings with Denver.  The Nuggets are 0-8 ATS in their last eight road games after two straight wins by 10 points or more.  Bet the Grizzlies Friday.

15* NBA Thursday Total DOMINATOR on Rockets/Kings OVER 227.5

The Sacramento Kings have been a great OVER bet all season.  They are 25-11 OVER in their 36 games this year.  And rarely do you see a Kings total set less than 230, so we will take advantage today and back the OVER.

The OVER is 11-1 in Kings last 12 games overall.  In fact, 13 of their last 14 games have seen 228 or more combined points, which makes for a 13-1 system backing the OVER pertaining to this 227.5-point total.

The Rockets have pretty much quit defensively as they have allowed 118 or more points in seven of their last nine games overall.  But they should get their offense going here against a Kings team that ranks dead last (30th) in defensive efficiency this season.

Sacramento is 7-0 OVER In home games vs. a team with a losing record this season.  The OVER is 5-0 on Rockets last five games as road underdogs.  The OVER is 4-2 in the last six meetings with combined scores of 235 or more points four times.  Roll with the OVER in this game Thursday.